(a) A person commits an offense if the person knowingly or intentionally files a complaint alleging that a child-care facility or registered or listed family home failed to comply with the commission’s minimum standards and the person knows the allegation is false or lacks factual foundation.
(b) An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor unless it is shown on the trial of the offense that the person has previously been convicted under this section, in which case the offense is a state jail felony.

Attorney's Note

Under the Texas Codes, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
State jail felonybetween 180 days and 2 yearsup to $10,000
Class A misdemeanorup to 1 yearup to $4,000
For details, see Texas Penal Code § 12.35 and Texas Penal Code § 12.21

Terms Used In Texas Human Resources Code 42.0447

  • Allegation: something that someone says happened.
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Person: includes corporation, organization, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, and any other legal entity. See Texas Government Code 311.005
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.