LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 79TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 28, 2005

TO:	Honorable Kent Grusendorf, Chair, House Committee on Public Education
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB527 by Bohac (Relating to the punishment of certain assaults committed against employees of primary and secondary schools.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend the Penal Code to add to the criteria for determining as a third degree felony offense, an assault that causes bodily injury on an employee of a public or private primary or secondary school while the employee is engaged in performing duties within the scope of their employment. An assault by virtue of a threat of imminent bodily injury against those school employees would be a Class A misdemeanor, and an assault by virtue of physical contact that is offensive or provocative against those employees would be a Class B misdemeanor. The bill also identifies confinement as part of the varying punishments. The bill would take effect September 1, 2005 and would apply to offenses committed on or after that date.

It is anticipated that the proposed additions to what constitutes an assault offense and the proposed punishments and punishment enhancements would not have a significant fiscal impact on law enforcement agencies, county jails, or the state's adult or juvenile criminal justice agencies.

Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

665 Juvenile Probation Commission, 696 Department of Criminal Justice, 701 Central Education Agency

LBB Staff:

JOB, CT, LG, DLBa