Bill: HB 2781, 87(R) - 2021

Committee

House Criminal Jurisprudence

2nd Chamber Committee

Senate Criminal Justice

Vote Recommendation

Vote Recommendation Economic Freedom Property Rights Personal Responsibility Limited Government Individual Liberty
Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral

Author(s)

Ann Johnson
Greg Bonnen
John Kuempel
Brooks Landgraf
Claudia Ordaz perez

Co-Author(s)

David Cook
Ray Lopez
Penny Morales Shaw
Evelina Ortega
John Raney
Ron Reynolds
Shawn Thierry
Erin Zwiener

Sponsor(s)

John Whitmire

Co-Sponsor(s)

César J Blanco

Bill Caption

Relating to the prosecution of and punishment for an aggravated assault occurring as part of a mass shooting; increasing a criminal penalty.

Fiscal Notes

Increasing the amount of time served and the criminal penalty for a criminal offense is expected to result in increased demands on the correctional resources of the State. The probable fiscal impact of implementing the provisions of the bill is indeterminate due to the lack of information on the number of persons who committed aggravated assault as part of a mass shooting. This information is necessary to identify the cases affected by the provisions of the bill from all other aggravated assault cases.

Bill Analysis

HB 2781 would increase an aggravated assault offense from a second-degree felony to a first-degree felony if it was committed as part of a mass shooting, defined as the discharge of a firearm to attempt to cause serious injury or death to four or more people. The sentences for multiple aggravated assault offenses arising out of the same mass shooting episode would have to run consecutively, rather than concurrently.

Vote Recommendation Notes

Texas Action is neutral on HB 2781 which does not appear to conflict with our Liberty Principles. The penalty increase proposed by this legislation keeps the penalty proportional to the offense. 


Source URL (retrieved on 03/29/2024 04:03 AM): http://reports.texasaction.com/bill/87r/hb2781?print_view=true