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LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT STATEMENT
88TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
May 17, 2023
TO:
Honorable Bryan Hughes, Chair, Senate Committee on State Affairs
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB1299 by Noble (Relating to the signature required on a carrier envelope for a ballot voted by mail; changing the elements of a criminal offense.), As Engrossed
The bill would require that the signature required on a carrier envelope for a ballot voted by mail be signed using ink on paper and would make such a requirement applicable to the conduct constituting unlawful carrier envelope action by a person other than a voter. The offense of unlawful carrier envelope action by a person other than a voter is a Class A misdemeanor, except it is a state jail felony if committed with the offense of unlawful assistance to the same voter in connection with the same ballot.
Expanding the conduct constituting an offense may result in additional demands upon state and local correctional resources due to a possible increase in the number of individuals placed under supervision in the community or sentenced to a term of confinement.
In fiscal year 2022, there were no individuals arrested, placed on community supervision, or admitted into a state correctional institution for an offense involving unlawful carrier envelope action.
It is assumed that any impact on state correctional populations or on the demand for state correctional resources would not be significant.