Honorable Nicole Collier, Chair, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence
FROM:
John McGeady, Assistant Director Sarah Keyton, Assistant Director Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB1573 by Raney (Relating to the prosecution of the criminal offense of capital murder.), As Introduced
The probable fiscal impact of the bill is indeterminate because data collected at the statewide level lack sufficient detail to identify victim occupation, which is necessary to determine the impact of the bill's enhancement provision.
The bill would amend the Penal Code as it relates to the offense of capital murder. Under the provisions of the bill, emergency medical services personnel would be added to the list of individuals whose murder, while on duty, would qualify the offense for prosecution as a capital felony rather than as a first degree felony.
Expanding the criteria for which a capital felony can be applied is expected to result in additional demands on the correctional resources of the State due to increased sentences to a term of confinement within state correctional institutions. The bill may have a negative fiscal impact by increasing the number of individuals sentenced to a term of confinement within state correctional institutions. Whether the bill would result in a significant fiscal impact cannot be determined because data do not exist at the statewide level that would allow for the identification of the victim's occupation. These data are necessary to determine the fiscal impact of the bill's enhancement provision.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 696 Department of Criminal Justice