Texas Senate Bill SB164

Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

• Filed: 11/10/08

Caption

Relating to a criminal justice policy impact statement attached to certain bills or resolutions.

Impact

This bill represents a significant alteration in how Texas processes and evaluates criminal justice legislation. By requiring a detailed analysis of proposed laws, SB164 would create a new framework for assessing the socio-economic and ethnic ramifications of changes to felony sanctions. This measure could influence future legislative discussions by placing greater emphasis on the potential costs and benefits related to criminal justice policies, facilitating a more equitable approach to legislative decisions that affect vulnerable communities.

Summary

SB164 aims to mandate the preparation of a criminal justice policy impact statement for certain legislation affecting felony sanctions. The introduction of this requirement seeks to ensure that legislators have access to critical information about how proposed changes in law could impact criminal cases, corrections facilities, and various demographic groups. Specifically, the impact statements would include estimates of case numbers, fiscal implications, and consequences on major racial and ethnic minority communities, music to a more informed legislative process.

Contention

Notably, the requirement to evaluate racial and ethnic impacts may prompt debates surrounding the treatment of minority groups within the criminal justice system. Supporters of the bill may argue that such assessments are essential for achieving fair sentencing and correctional policies, while opponents could view it as an unnecessary bureaucratic layer that might delay the legislative process. Moreover, the implications of creating a standardized method for impact statements could see varied reception among legislators, depending on their perspectives on criminal justice reform and fiscal responsibility.