LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 89TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION April 2, 2025 TO: Honorable John T. Smithee, Chair, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence FROM: Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: HB1160 by Hull (Relating to increasing the criminal penalty for the offense of assault committed against certain employees or agents of a utility and to the prosecution of the criminal offense of interference with public duties of those employees or agents.), As Introduced Increasing the penalty for an existing 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 fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined due to the lack of data to estimate the prevalence of conduct outlined in the bill's provisions that would be subject to increased criminal penalties. The bill would increase the criminal penalty for the offense of assault that causes bodily injury from a Class A misdemeanor to a third degree felony if the defendant assaulted a person who is a utility employee or agent while the person is performing a duty within the scope of that employment or agency. The bill would furthermore expand the conduct constituting the Class B misdemeanor offense of interference with public duties by including the interference or disruption of a person who is a utility employee or agent while the person is performing a duty within the scope of that employment or agency.The impact on state correctional populations or on the demand for state correctional resources cannot be determined due to the lack of data to estimate the prevalence of conduct outlined in the bill's provisions that would be subject to increased criminal penalties. Local Government ImpactWhile 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: b > td > 212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts LBB Staff: b > td > JMc, MGol, AMr, QH LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 89TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION April 2, 2025 TO: Honorable John T. Smithee, Chair, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence FROM: Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: HB1160 by Hull (Relating to increasing the criminal penalty for the offense of assault committed against certain employees or agents of a utility and to the prosecution of the criminal offense of interference with public duties of those employees or agents.), As Introduced TO: Honorable John T. Smithee, Chair, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence FROM: Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: HB1160 by Hull (Relating to increasing the criminal penalty for the offense of assault committed against certain employees or agents of a utility and to the prosecution of the criminal offense of interference with public duties of those employees or agents.), As Introduced Honorable John T. Smithee, Chair, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence Honorable John T. Smithee, Chair, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board HB1160 by Hull (Relating to increasing the criminal penalty for the offense of assault committed against certain employees or agents of a utility and to the prosecution of the criminal offense of interference with public duties of those employees or agents.), As Introduced HB1160 by Hull (Relating to increasing the criminal penalty for the offense of assault committed against certain employees or agents of a utility and to the prosecution of the criminal offense of interference with public duties of those employees or agents.), As Introduced Increasing the penalty for an existing 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 fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined due to the lack of data to estimate the prevalence of conduct outlined in the bill's provisions that would be subject to increased criminal penalties. Increasing the penalty for an existing 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 fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined due to the lack of data to estimate the prevalence of conduct outlined in the bill's provisions that would be subject to increased criminal penalties. The bill would increase the criminal penalty for the offense of assault that causes bodily injury from a Class A misdemeanor to a third degree felony if the defendant assaulted a person who is a utility employee or agent while the person is performing a duty within the scope of that employment or agency. The bill would furthermore expand the conduct constituting the Class B misdemeanor offense of interference with public duties by including the interference or disruption of a person who is a utility employee or agent while the person is performing a duty within the scope of that employment or agency.The impact on state correctional populations or on the demand for state correctional resources cannot be determined due to the lack of data to estimate the prevalence of conduct outlined in the bill's provisions that would be subject to increased criminal penalties. 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: b > td > 212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts 212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts LBB Staff: b > td > JMc, MGol, AMr, QH JMc, MGol, AMr, QH