LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 84TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
April 28, 2015

TO:
Honorable Harold V. Dutton, Jr., Chair, House Committee on Juvenile Justice & Family Issues
 
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
HB1359 by Wu (Relating to procedures involving truancy and other fine-only misdemeanors committed by children.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would implement recommendations in the report, "Improve Data Collection and Reform State Truancy Laws to Enhance the Quality of Truancy Interventions" in the Legislative Budget Board's Government Effectiveness and Efficiency Report submitted to the Eighty-fourth Texas Legislature, 2015.

The bill would require the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to adopt rules to define minimum standards for truancy prevention measures as required by the Texas Education Code and establish best practices for these measures. TEA estimates it could implement these recommendations within existing resources.

The bill would require the Supreme Court of Texas to develop standardized language for local judges to use to explain the potential consequences of having a criminal record for applications to college, the military, and employment. The Office of Court Administration anticipates that this could be implemented using existing resources.

Local Government Impact

The bill would clarify that courts are required to dismiss failure to attend school complaints that lack statutorily required elements, are filed against defendants outside the age range for the offense, or are filed after the required deadline. Courts would be required to dismiss complaints before scheduling a hearing and without requiring the presence of the defendant.

The bill would also require courts to offer a deferred disposition option for individuals charged with failure to attend school for the first time who have not already gone through a diversion program approved by the court.

The Office of Court Administration does not anticipate any significant fiscal impact to local courts from these changes.


Source Agencies:
212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 644 Juvenile Justice Department, 701 Central Education Agency
LBB Staff:
UP, ESi, JJ, JQ, KVe, JPo