According to the Legislative Budget Board (LBB), SB 1980 is not expected to have a significant fiscal impact on the State of Texas. The bill increases the criminal penalty for certain assaults against public servants from a Class C misdemeanor to a Class B misdemeanor and broadens the offense of interference with public duties to include actions against community supervision and corrections officers and parole officers while they perform their duties​.

Although the bill technically raises penalties and expands criminal enforcement scope, the projected effect on state correctional populations, such as jail bookings, prosecutions, and community supervision caseloads, is expected to be minimal. The volume of cases affected is unlikely to strain existing state resources or require notable increases in spending on courts, prosecutors, or correctional facilities.

For local governments, the fiscal note similarly predicts no significant financial impact. While cities and counties might experience slight increases in the number of misdemeanor cases prosecuted or supervised locally, the increase is not expected to require additional staffing, infrastructure, or major funding adjustments.

In short, the bill reinforces penalties and protections for public servants without imposing substantial new costs on either state or local governments.

SB 1980 responsibly strengthens protections for peace officers, parole officers, community supervision officers, and emergency services personnel by increasing criminal penalties for assault and expanding the offense of interference with public duties​. The legislation creates a rebuttable presumption that malicious publication of a public servant’s private information constitutes interference, aiming to deter "doxxing" and protect the safety of public employees and their families.

Importantly, SB 1980 does not significantly grow the size or scope of government. It operates within the existing criminal justice framework, enhancing enforcement of laws against already-illegal behavior rather than establishing new agencies, programs, or expansive powers. While it modestly broadens the definitions of certain criminal offenses, this is consistent with the legitimate, traditional role of government to protect public safety and the rule of law.

The bill does not increase the burden on taxpayers. According to the Legislative Budget Board, any fiscal impact on state or local governments is expected to be negligible. No major staffing expansions, facility needs, or increased public spending are anticipated as a result of the bill’s implementation.

Likewise, SB 1980 does not impose new regulatory burdens on individuals or businesses. Its provisions apply narrowly to individuals who assault or interfere with public servants or engage in malicious harassment by exposing personal information. Law-abiding citizens and businesses will not face new rules, licensing, reporting requirements, or other compliance costs.

Given its alignment with the principles of individual liberty, personal responsibility, public safety, and limited, focused governance, Texas Policy Research recommends that lawmakers vote YES on SB 1980.

• Individual Liberty: The bill protects the rights of public servants, who are individuals, too, to work safely without being assaulted or harassed. It punishes those who violate others' liberty by engaging in physical or threatening actions. While it slightly limits the "freedom" of those who would interfere with or assault public officials, it does so to safeguard lawful, peaceful activities. In the liberty framework, protecting innocent people’s rights to work safely is a legitimate government action.
• Personal Responsibility: The bill holds individuals accountable for bad behavior like assaulting a public servant or doxxing them. It promotes a culture where people must take responsibility for their actions, especially when those actions harm or endanger others.
• Free Enterprise: The bill does not regulate businesses or the marketplace. It purely addresses criminal behavior directed at individuals serving in public roles. Businesses and private commerce remain completely untouched.
• Private Property Rights: Although not directly about property, the bill protects the people who enforce laws that help maintain property rights (like police officers responding to trespass or theft). By helping ensure public servants can do their jobs effectively, the bill indirectly helps secure Texans’ property rights.
• Limited Government: The bill does slightly expand enforcement powers by increasing penalties and making prosecution easier in certain cases (like doxxing), but it does not create new agencies, regulations, or bureaucracy. It stays within the government's core duty to protect life, liberty, and property, rather than growing government in unrelated areas.

• HB 3665 (Same As)