LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT STATEMENT
 
86TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
April 7, 2019

TO:
Honorable Nicole Collier, Chair, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence
 
FROM:
John McGeady, Assistant Director     Sarah Keyton, Assistant Director
Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
HB324 by Murr (Relating to the prosecution of the criminal offense of improper relationship between educator and student.), As Introduced

The provisions of the bill addressing felony sanctions are the subject of this analysis.  The bill would amend the Penal Code to define sexual contact for the prosecution of the offense of improper relationship between an educator and student. This offense is punished as a second degree felony.
 
A second degree felony is punishable by confinement in prison for a term from 2 to 20 years, and in addition to confinement, an optional fine not to exceed $10,000.  In fiscal year 2018, 66 people were arrested, 25 people were placed under felony community supervision, and fewer than 10 people were admitted into state correctional institutions for the offense of improper relationship between an educator and student under current statute. This analysis assumes the provisions of the bill addressing felony sanctions would not result in a significant impact on state correctional populations or the demand for state correctional resources.






Source Agencies:
LBB Staff:
WP, LM, JPo