Honorable Joe Moody, Chair, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB591 by Minjarez (Relating to the punishment for the offense of aggravated assault.), As Introduced
The probable fiscal impact of implementing the bill is indeterminate due to the unavailability of reliable data or information related to the victim's medical outcome.
The bill would amend the Penal Code as it relates to the offense of aggravated assault. Under the provisions of the bill, certain aggravated assault offenses would be enhanced from a second degree felony to a first degree felony if the victim sustained certain serious bodily injury.
Expanding the list of behaviors for which an enhancement to a criminal penalty is applied 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 placed under felony community supervision, incarcerated within state correctional institutions, or placed under parole supervision. Whether the bill would result in a significant fiscal impact is indeterminate due to lack of statewide data related to the victim's medical outcome. The Texas Department of Public Safety does not anticipate a significant fiscal impact as a result of implementing the provisions of the bill.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.