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LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 87TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
March 29, 2021
TO:
Honorable John Whitmire, Chair, Senate Committee on Criminal Justice
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB237 by Bettencourt (Relating to the issuance of a citation for a criminal trespass offense punishable as a Class B misdemeanor.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend the Code of Criminal Procedure to add Class B criminal trespass offenses to the list of offenses for which a peace officer may issue a citation to appear instead of arresting and taking the person before a magistrate.
According to the Office of Court Administration, no significant fiscal to the state court system is anticipated.
Local Government Impact
According to the Sheriffs of Texas, the bill could minimally reduce costs in terms of jail days. However, the charging of criminal trespass usually involves persons refusing to leave with a high volume of those charged experiencing mental health issues. In these instances, the issuance of a citation is unlikely to resolve the problem.