| TO: | Honorable Pete Gallego, Chair, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence |
| FROM: | John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB690 by Martinez Fischer (Relating to the punishment for the offense of graffiti.), As Introduced |
The bill would amend the Penal Code by adding historic structures or property to the list of places for which the offense of graffiti would be punishable as a state jail felony if the amount of pecuniary loss is less than $20,000. Under current statute graffiti is punishable at both misdemeanor and felony levels and is contingent upon the total dollar amount of the damage. Under the provisions of the bill, graffiti offenses currently punishable as Class B or A Misdemeanors, with damages less than $1,500 would be punishable as a state jail felony if the item damaged was an historic structure or property.
The bill would take effect on September 1, 2011 and apply to offenses committed on or after that date.
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
| Source Agencies: |
| LBB Staff: | JOB, ESi, GG, LM
|