By: Lozano (Senate Sponsor - Zaffirini) H.B. No. 268
(In the Senate - Received from the House March 27, 2017;
April 12, 2017, read first time and referred to Committee on
Criminal Justice; May 11, 2017, reported favorably by the
following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 11, 2017, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to venue in the prosecution of certain criminal conduct
involving obstruction or retaliation.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 13, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
amended by adding Article 13.37 to read as follows:
Art. 13.37. OBSTRUCTION OR RETALIATION. An offense under
Section 36.06(a)(1), Penal Code, may be prosecuted in any county in
which:
(1) the harm occurs; or
(2) the threat to do harm originated or was received.
SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only
to venue for the trial of an offense committed on or after the
effective date of this Act. Venue for the trial of 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, 2017.
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