Honorable John T. Smithee, Chair, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB2181 by Shaheen (Relating to increasing the criminal penalty for certain conduct constituting the offense of solicitation of prostitution.), As Introduced
Increasing the penalty for an existing criminal offense may result in increased demands upon state 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. The impact on state correctional populations or on the demand for state correctional resources cannot be determined due to the lack of data regarding the number of offenses eligible for the penalty enhancement.
The bill would increase the penalty from a state jail felony to a third degree felony for the offense of solicitation of prostitution in cases where the individual solicited was engaged in conduct as a victim of certain trafficking offenses.
Local Government Impact
While the fiscal impact cannot be determined, increasing the penalty for an existing offense may result in increased demands upon 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.
Source Agencies:
212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts