86R13133 JSC-D
By: Turner of Tarrant H.B. No. 4237
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the criminal offense of stalking.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 42.072(a), Penal Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) A person commits an offense if the person, on more than
one occasion and pursuant to the same scheme or course of conduct
that is directed specifically at the victim [another person],
knowingly engages in conduct that:
(1) constitutes an offense under Section 42.07, or
that the actor knows or reasonably should know the victim [other
person] will regard as threatening:
(A) bodily injury or death for the victim [other
person];
(B) bodily injury or death for:
(i) a member of the victim's [other
person's] family or household; or
(ii) [for] an individual with whom the
victim [other person] has a dating relationship; or
(C) that an offense will be committed against the
victim's [other person's] property;
(2) causes the victim [other person], a member of the
victim's [other person's] family or household, or an individual
with whom the victim [other person] has a dating relationship:
(A) to be placed in fear of bodily injury or death
or [in fear] that an offense will be committed against the victim's
[other person's] property;[,] or
(B) to feel harassed, annoyed, alarmed, abused,
tormented, embarrassed, or offended; and
(3) would cause a reasonable person to:
(A) fear bodily injury or death for himself or
herself;
(B) fear bodily injury or death for:
(i) a member of the person's family or
household; or
(ii) [for] an individual with whom the
person has a dating relationship;
(C) fear that an offense will be committed
against the person's property; or
(D) feel harassed, annoyed, alarmed, abused,
tormented, embarrassed, or offended.
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
governed by the law in effect on the date 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, 2019.