LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 84TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 24, 2015

TO:	Honorable Abel Herrero, Chair, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence
FROM:	Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB381 by Burkett (relating to the punishment for the offense of burglary of a vehicle; increasing a criminal penalty.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend the Penal Code as it relates to the punishment for the offense of burglary of a vehicle or rail car. The bill would align the punishment for burglary of a vehicle or rail car to the amount of pecuniary loss of tangible personal property. Under the provisions of the bill, burglary of a vehicle or rail car would be punishable at all felony degrees with the punishment degree based on the circumstances of the offense. This analysis assumes implementing the provisions of the bill would not result in a significant impact on state correctional agencies.

Local Government Impact

The bill would amend the conditions which constitute a Class A misdemeanor to consist of pecuniary loss of less than $1,500. 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. Costs associated with enforcement, prosecution, and confinement could likely be absorbed with existing resources. Revenue from fines imposed and collected is not anticipated to have a significant fiscal impact.

Source Agencies:

696 Department of Criminal Justice

LBB Staff:

UP, KJo, LM, KVe