BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2755

By: Turner

General Investigating & Ethics

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties assert that certain state agencies have experienced payroll discrepancies and that these discrepancies constitute mishandling of taxpayer dollars. H.B. 2755 seeks to discourage this behavior by punishing the act of tampering with a payroll document requesting payment of compensation to a state officer or employee more severely than the act of tampering with certain other governmental records.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill expressly does one or more of the following: creates a criminal offense, increases the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or changes the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 2755 amends the Penal Code to enhance the penalty for tampering with a governmental record from a Class A misdemeanor to a state jail felony if it is shown on the trial of the offense that the governmental record was a payroll document requesting payment of compensation to a state officer or employee.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.