The bill would amend the Penal Code as it relates to the punishment of certain conduct relating to interference with emergency requests for assistance. Under the provisions of the bill, interference with emergency requests for assistance would include certain electronic means of communication. This offense is currently punishable as a Class A misdemeanor or a state jail felony if an offender has been previously convicted of an offense under this section.

A Class A misdemeanor is punishable by confinement in county jail for a term not to exceed one year and/or a fine not to exceed $4,000. A state jail felony is punishable by confinement in a state jail for a term from 180 days to 2 years and, in addition to confinement, an optional fine not to exceed $10,000 or Class A Misdemeanor punishment (mandatory post conviction community supervision).

For any criminal offense, expanding the list of behaviors for which a penalty applies is expected to increase correctional supervision and/or incarceration populations and thereby increase demands on county and/or state correctional resources. However, in the case of the bill, it is assumed that the number of offenders supervised or incarcerated under this statute would not significantly impact state correctional agencies' workload and programs.