| Old | New | Differences | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 85R559 JRR-D | |
| 2 | 2 | By: White H.B. No. 420 | |
| 3 | 3 | ||
| 4 | 4 | ||
| 5 | 5 | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED | |
| 6 | 6 | AN ACT | |
| 7 | 7 | relating to the admissibility of certain evidence relating to | |
| 8 | 8 | climate change or global warming in certain criminal cases. | |
| 9 | 9 | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | |
| 10 | 10 | SECTION 1. Chapter 38, Code of Criminal Procedure, is | |
| 11 | 11 | amended by adding Article 38.51 to read as follows: | |
| 12 | 12 | Art. 38.51. ADMISSIBILITY OF CERTAIN EVIDENCE RELATING TO | |
| 13 | 13 | CLIMATE CHANGE OR GLOBAL WARMING IN CERTAIN CASES. Evidence | |
| 14 | 14 | relating to the defendant's theories, beliefs, or statements on | |
| 15 | 15 | climate change or global warming, including causes of climate | |
| 16 | 16 | change or global warming, is not admissible as proof of an element | |
| 17 | 17 | of an offense involving: | |
| 18 | 18 | (1) fraud or a fraudulent or deceptive practice; or | |
| 19 | 19 | (2) any false or misleading statement, | |
| 20 | 20 | representation, or information. | |
| 21 | 21 | SECTION 2. Article 38.51, Code of Criminal Procedure, as | |
| 22 | 22 | added by this Act, applies only to a criminal case in which the voir | |
| 23 | 23 | dire examination begins on or after the effective date of this Act. | |
| 24 | 24 | A criminal case in which the voir dire examination begins before the | |
| 25 | 25 | effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect when the | |
| 26 | 26 | examination begins, and the former law is continued in effect for | |
| 27 | 27 | that purpose. | |
| 28 | 28 | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |