LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT STATEMENT
 
80TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
April 11, 2007

TO:
Honorable Joe Driver, Chair, House Committee on Law Enforcement
 
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
HB124 by Pena (Relating to certain offenses that involve impersonating a peace officer or other public servant and misrepresenting the nature of certain property.), As Introduced

The bill would amend the Penal Code by enhancing the punishment for the offense of impersonating a public servant from a felony of the third degree to a felony of the second degree if the actor commits the offense with the intent to commit an offense in addition to the offense of impersonating a public servant. 
 
A third degree felony is punishable by imprisonment in the institutional division for any term of not more than 10 years or less than 2 years, or, in addition to confinement, a fine not to exceed $10,000.
 
A second degree felony is punishable by imprisonment in the institutional division for any term of not more than 20 years or less than 2 years, or, in addition to confinement, a fine not to exceed $10,000.
 
For fiscal year 2005, 34 offenders were placed on felony probation supervision for impersonating a public servant and 21 inmates were admitted to prison for impersonating a public servant in fiscal year 2006. Increasing the penalty for any criminal offense is expected to result in increased demands upon the correctional resources of counties or of the; however, in the case of this bill, the increased workload and demand for resources would probably not be substantial.



Source Agencies:
LBB Staff:
JOB, GG