Honorable Bryan Hughes, Chair, Senate Committee on State Affairs
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB1044 by Johnson (Relating to criminal offenses for the creation or distribution of certain misleading images and videos; creating a criminal offense.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would modify the conduct constituting the Class A misdemeanor offense of creating and causing a deep fake video to be published with intent to injure a candidate or influence the result of an election. The bill would create the Class B misdemeanor offense of, with the intent to deceive and influence the result of an election, creating or causing to be created an altered image as defined in the bill; or publishing, distributing, or causing to be published or distributed an altered image during the period beginning 90 days before the date of the election and ending on the date of the election.
It is assumed that any fiscal impact and any impact on state correctional populations or on the demand for state correctional resources would not be significant.
Local Government Impact
It is assumed that any fiscal impact to units of local government associated with enforcement, prosecution, supervision, or confinement would not be significant.
Source Agencies:
212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council