Bill

HB 24

86(R) - 2019
House Criminal Jurisprudence
Senate Criminal Justice
Read Bill & Check Bill Status
House Criminal Jurisprudence
Senate Criminal Justice
Crimes
Criminal Procedure

Vote Recommendation

Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral

Author(s)

Ramon Romero Jr.
DeWayne Burns
Victoria Neave

Bill Caption

Relating to increasing criminal penalties for certain family violence offenses committed in the presence of a child.

Fiscal Notes

The fiscal impact of implementing the bill is indeterminate due to the lack of data or information that would allow the number of cases in which certain assault and aggravated assault offenses were committed in the physical presence or within the hearing of a person who is younger than 15 years of age to be distinguished from all other assault and aggravated assault cases. These data are necessary to estimate the fiscal impact of the bill's provisions.

Bill Analysis

HB 24 would increase the criminal penalty to a state jail felony in the event of an individual committing an act that brings bodily harm against a person who is a family member, someone who shares a household, or the offender is dating and the offense is committed in the physical presence or within the hearing of a person who is younger than 18 years of age.

Vote Recommendation Notes

We have reservations about enhancing penalties based not on the actual offense but on who may witness the offense. At the same time we do recognize that witnessing family violence is traumatic for children. Texas Action remains neutral on HB 24.