Honorable Harold V. Dutton, Jr., Chair, House Committee on Juvenile Justice & Family Issues
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB516 by Moody (Relating to venue for the offense of failure to attend school.), As Introduced
No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend the Education Code to provide that a case for an offense of failure to attend school could be heard in a justice court of any precinct in the county in which the individual resides or the school is located.
Modification to the venue in which failure to attend school offenses are heard is not expected to increase the number of juveniles sent to justice courts for failure to attend school. It is assumed that the number of youth affected under this statute would not significantly impact state correctional agencies' workload and programs, or the demand for their resources and services since juveniles are typically only transferred from these courts to juvenile courts on the third offense.
The Office of Court Administration (OCA) indicated no fiscal impact on the state's judiciary is anticipated. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) indicated the bill would have no direct fiscal implications for the Foundation School Program or the operations of the TEA. The bill would take effect on September 1, 2015, and would only apply to offenses committed on or after that date.
Local Government Impact
OCA indicated that no significant fiscal impact to local courts is anticipated; however, individual judge's caseloads could be affected by a designation that the court would hear truancy cases for its county. Denton County reported that no fiscal impact is anticipated.
TEA indicated school districts would be required to take truancy cases to the designated precinct, if one is designated in their county.
Source Agencies:
212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 644 Juvenile Justice Department, 701 Central Education Agency