LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 80TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 4, 2007

TO:	Honorable Aaron Pena, Chair, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB1340 by Menendez (Relating to delaying parole eligibility for an individual convicted of murder who evades arrest.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend the Government Code as it relates to the parole eligibility of offenders convicted of murder by delaying the parole eligibility date if the offenders evaded arrest.  For every twelve months between the date the arrest warrant is issued for the offender and the date the offender is arrested, the earliest date of parole eligibility would be delayed three years.

Given the proposal would apply to offenses committed on or after September 1, 2007 and that under current law and policy individuals convicted of murder serve a high percentage of their sentence and the majority are in custody within one year of the date of their offense, the impact of this proposal would not be significant in the first five years of implementation.

Local Government Impact

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

Source Agencies:

696 Department of Criminal Justice

LBB Staff:

JOB, ES, GG, TM