Honorable John Whitmire, Chair, Senate Committee on Criminal Justice
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB1649 by Watson (Relating to increasing the punishment for certain conduct constituting the offense of criminal trespass.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend the Penal Code enhancing the penalty for repeated criminal trespassing on the property of a public institution of higher education. The penalty would be punishable as a Class A misdemeanor.
According to the Office of Court Administration no significant impact to the state or local court system is anticipated.
The bill would take effect September 1, 2017.
Local Government Impact
A Class A misdemeanor is punishable by a fine of not more than $4,000, confinement in jail for a term not to exceed one year, or both. Costs associated with enforcement, prosecution and confinement could likely be absorbed within existing resources. Revenue gain from fines imposed and collected is not anticipated to have a significant fiscal implication.
Source Agencies:
212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council