Honorable Joe Moody, Chair, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB351 by Canales (Relating to the discharge or waiver of fines and costs imposed on indigent defendants.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend the Code of Criminal Procedure to allow a judge to order, at sentencing or any time thereafter, a defendant that is unable to pay a fine or costs to discharge all or part of the fine or costs by performing community service. The bill would also allow a judge to waive payment of a fine or costs imposed on a defendant or child who is indigent and discharging the fine or costs under any alternative method would impose an undue hardship on the defendant or child.
Based on information provided by the Office of Court Administration, no significant fiscal implication to the state is anticipated.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts