84R1685 LEH-F
By: Huffman S.B. No. 493
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to evidence or testimony given by certain witnesses in a
criminal case based on the trafficking of persons.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 20A, Penal Code, is amended by adding
Section 20A.04 to read as follows:
Sec. 20A.04. ACCOMPLICE WITNESS; TESTIMONY AND IMMUNITY.
(a) A party to an offense under this chapter may be required to
provide evidence or testify about the offense.
(b) A party to an offense under this chapter may not be
prosecuted for any offense about which the party is required to
provide evidence or testify, and the evidence and testimony may not
be used against the party in any adjudicatory proceeding except a
prosecution for aggravated perjury. For purposes of this
subsection, "adjudicatory proceeding" means a proceeding before a
court or any other agency of government in which the legal rights,
powers, duties, or privileges of specified parties are determined.
(c) A conviction under this chapter may be had on the
uncorroborated testimony of a party to the offense.
SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies to a
criminal proceeding that commences on or after the effective date
of this Act. A criminal proceeding that commences before the
effective date of this Act is covered by the law in effect when the
proceeding commenced, and the former law is continued in effect for
that purpose.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.