LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 82ND LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

March 24, 2011

TO:	Honorable Craig Estes, Chair, Senate Committee on Agriculture & Rural Affairs
FROM:	John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB897 by Hegar (Relating to fishing tournament fraud; providing penalties.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend the Parks and Wildlife Code to expand existing fishing tournament regulations from freshwater tournaments to all fishing tournaments. The bill would make altering the length or weight of a fish for the purposes of the tournament or any act deemed a violation by the Parks and Wildlife Department an offense.

An offense would be a Class A misdemeanor unless the prizes to be awarded for one category are worth $10,000 or more in money or goods, then the offense is a felony of the third degree.

A Class A misdemeanor is punishable by a fine of not more than $4,000, confinement in jail for a term not to exceed one year, or both.

Local Government Impact

Costs associated with enforcement, prosecution, and confinement could likely be absorbed within existing resources. Revenue gain from fines imposed and collected is not anticipated to have a significant fiscal implication.

Source Agencies:

802 Parks and Wildlife Department

LBB Staff:

JOB, SZ, TP