LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 2, 2009

TO:	Honorable Pete Gallego, Chair, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB2115 by Moody (Relating to the punishment prescribed for the offense of bail jumping and failure to appear.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend the Penal Code to make failure to appear in accordance with the terms of release from custody, with or without bail, punishable as a felony of the first degree if the offense for which the person is to appear is murder or capital murder.  The offense is currently punishable as a felony of the third degree.

 

The bill would take effect on September 1, 2009 and would apply to an offense committed on or after the effective date.

 

Increasing the penalty for any criminal offense is expected to result in increased demands upon the correctional resources of counties or of the State due to longer terms of probation, or, longer terms of confinement in county jails or prison; however, it is assumed the number of persons affected by the provisions of this bill would not result in a significant impact on programs and workload of state corrections agencies or on the demand for resources and services of those agencies.

Local Government Impact

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

Source Agencies:

696 Department of Criminal Justice

LBB Staff:

JOB, ESi, GG, TMP