| TO: | Honorable Aaron Pena, Chair, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB150 by Phillips (Relating to the punishment for a person with multiple convictions for identical misdemeanor offenses.), As Introduced |
The probable impact of implementing the provisions of the bill cannot be determined due to the unavailability of reliable data or criminal history information related to misdemeanor offenses.
The bill would amend the Penal Code providing enhancements for individuals convicted multiple times of the same misdemeanor offense. The bill would allow for punishment to be enhanced to that of the next highest category of offenses for individuals convicted two or more times for an offense that is the same as the instant offense. A check of Texas Department of Criminal Justice records, Department of Public Safety records, Office of Court Administration records, and Jail Standards Commission records did not reveal any information that would help in an accurate assumption regarding criminal history information related to misdemeanor offenses.
The bill would take effect September 1, 2007 and apply only to an offense committed on or after the effective date.
| Source Agencies: | 696 Department of Criminal Justice
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, ES, GG, LM, KJG
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