Honorable Pete Gallego, Chair, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB1076 by Frost (Relating to the creation of the offense of obstruction of or retaliation against a process server.), As Introduced
The bill would amend the Penal Code by including the harming or threatening of harmful behavior against process servers who serve a civil process as behavior covered by the offense of obstruction or retaliation. The offense of obstruction or retaliation, unless the victim of the offense was harmed or threatened because of the victim’s service or status as a juror, is punishable as a felony of the third degree.
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.
It is assumed that the number of additional offenders convicted under this statute would not result in a significant impact on the programs and workload of state corrections agencies or on the demand for resources and services of those agencies.