By: Watson S.B. No. 1268
(In the Senate - Filed February 28, 2019; March 7, 2019,
read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal Justice;
April 23, 2019, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 6,
Nays 0; April 23, 2019, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a statement presented in a criminal case by a victim,
close relative of a deceased victim, or guardian of a victim.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 1, Article 42.03, Code of Criminal
Procedure, is amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
(c) The court may not impose a limit on the number of
victims, close relatives, or guardians who may appear and present
statements under Subsection (b) unless the court finds that
additional statements would unreasonably delay the proceeding.
SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies to a
defendant who is sentenced for an offense on or after the effective
date of this Act, regardless of whether the offense is committed
before, on, or after the effective date of this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
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