Honorable Terry Keel, Chair, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB1791 by Whitmire (Relating to the prosecution of the offense of capital murder.), As Engrossed
The bill would amend the Penal Code by making it capital murder to murder a judicial officer in retaliation of the service or status of the victim as a judge or justice of the supreme court, the court of criminal appeals, a court of appeals, a district court, a criminal court, a constitutional county court, a statutory county court, a justice court, or a municipal court.
Capital murder carries a penalty of death or life in prison.
Under current law and policy, and under the proposed bill, the average time served in prison by persons likely to be affected by the provisions of this bill is greater than five years. Therefore, no additional impacts on demands on the adult corrections agencies are anticipated during the first five years following passage of this bill.