LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 83RD LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

March 27, 2013

TO:	Honorable John Whitmire, Chair, Senate Committee on Criminal Justice
FROM:	Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB299 by Estes (relating to the intentional display of a handgun by a person licensed to carry a concealed handgun. ), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend the Penal Code relating to the offense of unlawful carrying of a handgun by a license holder.  Under current law it is an offense if a person carries a handgun and intentionally fails to conceal it.  Under the bill, it is only an offense if the person displays the handgun in plain view of another person in a public place.

 

The offense of unlawful carrying of a handgun by a license holders is punishable by a Class A misdemeanor.  The bill restricts the definition of that offense to certain circumstances.  Restricting the definition of an offense is expected to decrease demands on county correctional agency resources due to fewer persons on community supervision and/ or in county jail confinement.  In the case of this bill, it is assumed that any reduction in the number of offenders supervised or incarcerated under this statute would not significantly impact state correctional agencies’ workload and programs.

Local Government Impact

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

Source Agencies:

LBB Staff:

UP, ESi, GG, JPo