LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 24, 2009

TO:	Honorable John Whitmire, Chair, Senate Committee on Criminal Justice
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB1951 by Zaffirini (Relating to the penalty for theft of a driver's license, commercial driver's license, or personal identification certificate.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend Chapter 31, Penal Code, to establish that the theft of a driver's license, commercial driver's license, or personal identification certificate issued by this state or another state would be a Class A misdemeanor offense.

The punishment for a Class A misdemeanor is a fine not to exceed $4,000; confinement in jail for a term not to exceed one year; or both a fine and confinement.

The fiscal impact would vary depending on the number of offenses prosecuted. Costs for enforcement, prosecution, and jail time could be absorbed within existing resources, although costs for confinement in jail (ranging from approximately $37 to $73 per person per day) would depend on the period of time imposed. Any revenue gain as a result of fines imposed would vary depending on the discretion of the judge.

Local Government Impact

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

Source Agencies:

LBB Staff:

JOB, ESi, GG, DB