LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 80TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

March 28, 2007

TO:	Honorable Aaron Pena, Chair, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB2000 by Creighton (Relating to the punishment of certain repeat sex offenders for offenses committed against a child.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated for the first five years following passage of the bill.

The bill would amend the Penal Code to increase the punishment to life without parole for aggravated sexual assault and sexual assault if the victim is younger than 14 years of age and the defendant has a prior felony conviction for aggravated sexual assault or sexual assault with a victim younger than 14 years of age. 

 

The bill would take effect on September 1, 2007 and apply to offenses committed on or after that date.

 

Given the proposal would apply to offenses committed on or after September 1, 2007 and that under current law and policy individuals convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child or sexual assault of a child punishable as a first-degree felony serve a high percentage of their sentence, 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