| TO: | Honorable Abel Herrero, Chair, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence |
| FROM: | Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB2319 by Parker (relating to the prosecution of the offense of prostitution; increasing a criminal penalty.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted |
The bill would amend various codes as they relate to the prosecution of the offense of prostitution. The bill would amend the Penal Code to increase the punishment for the offense of prostitution depending on the actor's role in the encounter. Under the provisions of the bill, the punishment for the buyer would occur at the misdemeanor or felony level and increase in severity based on the number of previous convictions.
Increasing the penalty for any criminal offense is expected to result in increased demands upon the correctional resources of counties or of the State due to longer terms of supervision in the community or longer terms of confinement in state correctional institutions. The bill may have a negative fiscal impact by increasing the number of people under felony community supervision or incarcerated within state correctional institutions. Whether the bill would result in a significant fiscal impact is indeterminate due to a lack of statewide data on the individual's role in the encounter, specifically which of these individuals served as the buyer in the encounter and would therefore be eligible for the penalty enhancement outlined in the bill's provisions.
The bill would modify misdemeanor offenses. Changes in costs associated with enforcement, prosecution, and confinement are not anticipated to have a significant fiscal impact. Changes in revenue from fines imposed and collected are not anticipated to have a significant fiscal impact.
| Source Agencies: | 212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council
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| LBB Staff: | UP, KJo, LM, JPo, KVe, GDz
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