84R1157 MEW-D
By: Thompson of Harris H.B. No. 189
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the elimination of the statute of limitations for the
offenses of sexual assault and aggravated sexual assault.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Article 12.01, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
amended to read as follows:
Art. 12.01. FELONIES. Except as provided in Article 12.03,
felony indictments may be presented within these limits, and not
afterward:
(1) no limitation:
(A) murder and manslaughter;
(B) sexual assault [under Section 22.011(a)(2),
Penal Code,] or aggravated sexual assault [under Section
22.021(a)(1)(B), Penal Code;
[(C) sexual assault, if during the investigation
of the offense biological matter is collected and subjected to
forensic DNA testing and the testing results show that the matter
does not match the victim or any other person whose identity is
readily ascertained];
(C) [(D)] continuous sexual abuse of young child
or children under Section 21.02, Penal Code;
(D) [(E)] indecency with a child under Section
21.11, Penal Code;
(E) [(F)] an offense involving leaving the scene
of an accident under Section 550.021, Transportation Code, if the
accident resulted in the death of a person;
(F) [(G)] trafficking of persons under Section
20A.02(a)(7) or (8), Penal Code; or
(G) [(H)] continuous trafficking of persons
under Section 20A.03, Penal Code;
(2) ten years from the date of the commission of the
offense:
(A) theft of any estate, real, personal or mixed,
by an executor, administrator, guardian or trustee, with intent to
defraud any creditor, heir, legatee, ward, distributee,
beneficiary or settlor of a trust interested in such estate;
(B) theft by a public servant of government
property over which he exercises control in his official capacity;
(C) forgery or the uttering, using or passing of
forged instruments;
(D) injury to an elderly or disabled individual
punishable as a felony of the first degree under Section 22.04,
Penal Code;
(E) [sexual assault, except as provided by
Subdivision (1);
[(F)] arson;
(F) [(G)] trafficking of persons under Section
20A.02(a)(1), (2), (3), or (4), Penal Code; or
(G) [(H)] compelling prostitution under Section
43.05(a)(1), Penal Code;
(3) seven years from the date of the commission of the
offense:
(A) misapplication of fiduciary property or
property of a financial institution;
(B) securing execution of document by deception;
(C) a felony violation under Chapter 162, Tax
Code;
(D) false statement to obtain property or credit
under Section 32.32, Penal Code;
(E) money laundering;
(F) credit card or debit card abuse under Section
32.31, Penal Code;
(G) fraudulent use or possession of identifying
information under Section 32.51, Penal Code;
(H) Medicaid fraud under Section 35A.02, Penal
Code; or
(I) bigamy under Section 25.01, Penal Code,
except as provided by Subdivision (6);
(4) five years from the date of the commission of the
offense:
(A) theft or robbery;
(B) except as provided by Subdivision (5),
kidnapping or burglary;
(C) injury to an elderly or disabled individual
that is not punishable as a felony of the first degree under Section
22.04, Penal Code;
(D) abandoning or endangering a child; or
(E) insurance fraud;
(5) if the investigation of the offense shows that the
victim is younger than 17 years of age at the time the offense is
committed, 20 years from the 18th birthday of the victim of one of
the following offenses:
(A) sexual performance by a child under Section
43.25, Penal Code;
(B) aggravated kidnapping under Section
20.04(a)(4), Penal Code, if the defendant committed the offense
with the intent to violate or abuse the victim sexually; or
(C) burglary under Section 30.02, Penal Code, if
the offense is punishable under Subsection (d) of that section and
the defendant committed the offense with the intent to commit an
offense described by Subdivision (1)(B) or (C) [(D)] of this
article or Paragraph (B) of this subdivision;
(6) ten years from the 18th birthday of the victim of
the offense:
(A) trafficking of persons under Section
20A.02(a)(5) or (6), Penal Code;
(B) injury to a child under Section 22.04, Penal
Code;
(C) compelling prostitution under Section
43.05(a)(2), Penal Code; or
(D) bigamy under Section 25.01, Penal Code, if
the investigation of the offense shows that the person, other than
the legal spouse of the defendant, whom the defendant marries or
purports to marry or with whom the defendant lives under the
appearance of being married is younger than 18 years of age at the
time the offense is committed; or
(7) three years from the date of the commission of the
offense: all other felonies.
SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act does not apply
to an offense if the prosecution of that offense becomes barred by
limitation before the effective date of this Act. The prosecution
of that offense remains barred as if this Act had not taken effect.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.