LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 87TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
March 21, 2021

TO:
Honorable Nicole Collier, Chair, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence
 
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
HB1509 by Murphy (Relating to enhancing the criminal penalties for certain repeat and habitual offenders.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend the Penal Code and Code of Criminal Procedure as they relate to enhancing criminal penalties for individuals with certain repeat and habitual offenses. Under the provisions of the bill, if it is shown on trial of a Class A misdemeanor that an individuals has been previously convicted at least four times of a Class A misdemeanor or above and each offense was committed within ten years of the current offense, the Class A misdemeanor would be increased to a state jail felony, which could be further increased to the next felony punishment level according to the circumstances outlined in the bill. 

According to the Office of Court Administration (OCA), because OCA anticipates the provisions of this bill to affect very few offenses, no significant fiscal impact to the state court system is anticipated. This analysis assumes implementing the provisions of the bill addressing felony sanctions would not result in a significant impact on the demand for state correctional resources. 

Local Government Impact

According to the Sheriff's Association of Texas, a fiscal impact to county jail costs is anticipated, but in an amount that cannot be determined at this time.


Source Agencies:
212 Office of Court Admin, 696 Department of Criminal Justice
LBB Staff:
JMc, DKN, LM, SPA