Honorable Jim Murphy, Chair, House Committee on Corrections
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB1897 by Villalba (Relating to the punishment for certain offenses involving family violence.), As Introduced
The probable fiscal impact of implementing the bill is indeterminate due to the unavailability of reliable data or information related to the number of previous convictions possessed by offenders convicted of certain assault offenses.
The bill could also result in an indeterminate revenue gain to the state by requiring certain offenders to reimburse the state for terms of incarceration.
The bill would amend various codes as they relate to the punishment for certain family violence assault offenses. The bill would enhance the punishment for assault from a third degree felony to a second degree felony if the offender has been previously convicted two or more times of certain offenses against family members. The bill would require offenders who receive community supervision for this offense to submit to two years of confinement. The bill would add certain restrictions to parole eligibility for these offenders. The bill would require offenders sentenced to incarceration or community supervision for this offense to reimburse the state, county, or Community Supervision and Corrections Department for time spent incarcerated, depending on the location of the confinement.
Enhancing felony punishment levels and restricting parole eligibility is expected to result in increased demands upon the correctional resources of the state. The bill would have a negative fiscal impact to the state due to longer terms of confinement in state correctional institutions. Whether the bill would result in significant costs to the state is indeterminate due to a lack of reliable data regarding the number of previous convictions possessed by offenders who would be subject to the bill's provisions.
The bill could also result in an indeterminate revenue gain to the state by requiring certain offenders to reimburse the state for terms of incarceration.
Local Government Impact
The bill would result in additional costs to counties as defendants are required to serve at least two years in confinement as a condition of community supervision. There would also be an additional revenue gain to counties from defendants who repay the cost of their confinement; however, the fiscal impact to counties cannot be determined at this time.
Source Agencies:
212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 696 Department of Criminal Justice