The provisions of the bill addressing felony sanctions are the subject of this analysis. The bill would amend various codes as they relate to persons eligible to purchase real property. Under the provisions of the bill, persons who violate certain regulations related to the purchase of real property, would be subject to prosecution for a Class A misdemeanor or a state jail felony, depending on the circumstances of the offense. Currently, a violation of similar regulations is punished as a Class B misdemeanor. 

A Class B misdemeanor is punishable by confinement in county jail for a term not to exceed 180 days and/or a fine not to exceed $2,000. A Class A misdemeanor is punishable by confinement in jail for a term not to exceed one year and an optional fine to exceed $4,000. A state jail felony is punishable by confinement in a state jail for 180 days to two years and an optional fine not to exceed $10,000.

Enhancing the punishment for the offenses applicable to the bill is expected to result in greater demands on the correctional resources of the State due to additional persons eligible for placement under felony community supervision and admission into state correctional facilities. In fiscal year 2014, fewer than 10 people were arrested and fewer than 10 were placed on misdemeanor community supervision for the offenses similar to those included in the bill. Therefore, this analysis assumes the bill's provisions would not result in a significant impact on state correctional populations, programs, or workloads.