Honorable Pete Gallego, Chair, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB2514 by Hopson (Relating to creating an offense for impersonating a United States citizen.), As Introduced
The probable impact of implementing the provision of this bill cannot be determined due to the unavailability of reliable data or information related to the number of times a person exercises a right, makes an entry in a government record, or obtains a benefit by claiming to be a United States citizen.
The bill would amend the Penal Code to create the offense of impersonating a United States citizen punishable as a felony of the third degree.
The bill would take effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members of each house. If it does not receive the necessary vote for immediate effect, it would take effect on September 1, 2009.
Creating a new offense is expected to result in increased demands upon the correctional resources of counties or of the State. A check of Bureau of Justice Statistics information, 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 the number of times a person exercises a right, makes an entry in a government record, or obtains a benefit by claiming to be a citizen of the United States; therefore, the probable impact of implementing the bill cannot be determined.
Local Government Impact
The probable fiscal impact to local government cannot be determined due to the unavailability of reliable data or information related to number of times a person exercises a right, makes an entry in a government record, or obtains a benefit by claiming to be a United States citizen.