H.B. No. 3224
AN ACT
relating to the prosecution and punishment of the offense of arson.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 28.02, Penal Code, is amended by adding
Subsection (a-2) and amending Subsections (f) and (g) to read as
follows:
(a-2) A person commits an offense if the person
intentionally starts a fire or causes an explosion and in so doing:
(1) recklessly damages or destroys a building
belonging to another; or
(2) recklessly causes another person to suffer bodily
injury or death.
(f) An offense under Subsection (a-2) is a state jail felony
[It is a felony of the third degree if a person commits an offense
under Subsection (a)(2) of this section and the person
intentionally starts a fire in or on a building, habitation, or
vehicle, with intent to damage or destroy property belonging to
another, or with intent to injure any person, and in so doing,
recklessly causes damage to the building, habitation, or vehicle].
(g) If conduct that constitutes an offense under Subsection
(a-1) or that constitutes an offense under Subsection (a-2) [(f)]
also constitutes an offense under another subsection of this
section or another section of this code, the actor may be prosecuted
under Subsection (a-1) or Subsection (a-2) [(f)], under the other
subsection of this section, or under the other section of this code.
SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only
to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act.
An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is
covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed, and the
former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of
this section, an offense was committed before the effective date of
this Act if any element of the offense occurred before that date.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 3224 was passed by the House on May
12, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 139, Nays 5, 1 present, not
voting; that the House refused to concur in Senate amendments to
H.B. No. 3224 on May 29, 2009, and requested the appointment of a
conference committee to consider the differences between the two
houses; and that the House adopted the conference committee report
on H.B. No. 3224 on May 31, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 146,
Nays 0, 1 present, not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 3224 was passed by the Senate, with
amendments, on May 27, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays
0; at the request of the House, the Senate appointed a conference
committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and
that the Senate adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No.
3224 on June 1, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: __________________
Date
__________________
Governor