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H.R. 4002, Criminal Code Improvement Act of 2015 1 (June 22, 2016)

handle is hein.congrec/cbo3021 and id is 1 raw text is: 




                   CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
                               COST   ESTIMATE

                                                                    June 22, 2016


                                  H.R.   4002
                  Criminal  Code   Improvement Act of 2015

            As ordered reported by the House Committee on the Judiciary
                              on November  18, 2015


CBO  estimates that implementing H.R. 4002 would cost about $1 million in fiscal year
2017 and less than $500,000 annually thereafter; such spending would be subject to the
availability of appropriated funds. Enacting the bill also could affect direct spending and
revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures apply. However, CBO estimates that any
such effects would be insignificant in each year. CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 4002
would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four
consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2027.

H.R. 4002 would require the Department of Justice (DOJ) to develop and maintain an
inventory of all federal criminal offenses and to make that information available to the
public. Based on information from DOJ and the costs of similar activities, CBO estimates
that implementing H.R. 4002 would cost about $1 million in fiscal year 2017 and less
than $500,000 annually thereafter.

H.R. 4002 also would establish a default requirement regarding state of mind, for federal
criminal offenses that do not already include such a requirement; prosecutors would need
to demonstrate that those offenses were committed knowingly. Currently, successful
prosecution of some federal crimes requires proof of the defendant's criminal intent when
the crime occurred. Other federal crimes do not require such proof; the legislation would
affect prosecution of those crimes. Additionally, for conduct that a reasonable person
would not know or have been expected to know was unlawful, the legislation would
require proof that the defendant knew, or had reason to believe, the activity in question
was unlawful in order to secure a conviction.

Because H.R. 4002 would affect the prosecution of offenders subject to criminal fines,
the bill could change the amount of fines collected by the government. Criminal fines are
recorded as revenues, deposited in the Crime Victims Fund, and later spent without

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