1 | 1 | | 89R4504 MEW-D |
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2 | 2 | | By: Moody H.B. No. 857 |
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3 | 3 | | |
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4 | 4 | | |
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5 | 5 | | |
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6 | 6 | | |
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7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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9 | 9 | | relating to requiring certain persons prohibited by law from |
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10 | 10 | | owning, possessing, or controlling a firearm to dispose of firearms |
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11 | 11 | | owned, possessed, or controlled by the person. |
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12 | 12 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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13 | 13 | | SECTION 1. Title 1, Code of Criminal Procedure, is amended |
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14 | 14 | | by adding Chapter 68 to read as follows: |
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15 | 15 | | CHAPTER 68. DISPOSAL OF FIREARM BY CERTAIN PERSONS PROHIBITED BY |
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16 | 16 | | LAW FROM OWNING, POSSESSING, OR CONTROLLING A FIREARM |
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17 | 17 | | Art. 68.001. APPLICABILITY. This chapter applies to a |
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18 | 18 | | person who: |
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19 | 19 | | (1) is convicted of: |
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20 | 20 | | (A) an offense involving family violence, as |
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21 | 21 | | defined by Section 71.004, Family Code; or |
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22 | 22 | | (B) a felony; |
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23 | 23 | | (2) is the subject of: |
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24 | 24 | | (A) a protective order under Chapter 85, Family |
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25 | 25 | | Code, or Subchapter A, Chapter 7B, of this code; or |
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26 | 26 | | (B) a magistrate's order for emergency |
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27 | 27 | | protection under Article 17.292; or |
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28 | 28 | | (3) is subject to a condition of bond or community |
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29 | 29 | | supervision prohibiting the person from acquiring, possessing, or |
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30 | 30 | | controlling a firearm. |
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31 | 31 | | Art. 68.002. NOTICE AND ORDER TO DISPOSE OF FIREARM. On |
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32 | 32 | | conviction of a person for an offense described by Article |
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33 | 33 | | 68.001(1), issuance of an order described by Article 68.001(2), or |
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34 | 34 | | imposition of a condition described by Article 68.001(3), the court |
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35 | 35 | | shall: |
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36 | 36 | | (1) provide written notice to the person that the |
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37 | 37 | | person is prohibited from acquiring, possessing, or controlling a |
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38 | 38 | | firearm; and |
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39 | 39 | | (2) order the person to dispose of all firearms the |
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40 | 40 | | person owns, possesses, or controls not later than the 10th day |
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41 | 41 | | after: |
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42 | 42 | | (A) the date the person receives notice under |
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43 | 43 | | this article; or |
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44 | 44 | | (B) if the person was taken into custody |
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45 | 45 | | immediately after conviction, the date the person is released from |
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46 | 46 | | confinement. |
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47 | 47 | | Art. 68.003. REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION. A person subject to |
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48 | 48 | | an order under Article 68.002 shall submit to the court, not later |
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49 | 49 | | than the date specified by Subdivision (2) of that article, a signed |
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50 | 50 | | affidavit affirming that the person: |
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51 | 51 | | (1) has disposed of all firearms the person owns, |
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52 | 52 | | possesses, or controls; or |
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53 | 53 | | (2) does not own, possess, or control a firearm. |
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54 | 54 | | Art. 68.004. FORM OF AFFIDAVIT. The Office of Court |
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55 | 55 | | Administration of the Texas Judicial System shall adopt a model |
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56 | 56 | | affidavit for purposes of Article 68.003. |
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57 | 57 | | SECTION 2. Article 7B.006(a), Code of Criminal Procedure, |
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58 | 58 | | is amended to read as follows: |
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59 | 59 | | (a) Each protective order issued under this subchapter, |
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60 | 60 | | including a temporary ex parte order, must contain the following |
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61 | 61 | | prominently displayed statements in boldfaced type, in capital |
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62 | 62 | | letters, or underlined: |
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63 | 63 | | "A PERSON WHO VIOLATES THIS ORDER MAY BE PUNISHED FOR |
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64 | 64 | | CONTEMPT OF COURT BY A FINE OF AS MUCH AS $500 OR BY CONFINEMENT IN |
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65 | 65 | | JAIL FOR AS LONG AS SIX MONTHS, OR BOTH." |
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66 | 66 | | "NO PERSON, INCLUDING A PERSON WHO IS PROTECTED BY THIS |
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67 | 67 | | ORDER, MAY GIVE PERMISSION TO ANYONE TO IGNORE OR VIOLATE ANY |
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68 | 68 | | PROVISION OF THIS ORDER. DURING THE TIME IN WHICH THIS ORDER IS |
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69 | 69 | | VALID, EVERY PROVISION OF THIS ORDER IS IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT |
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70 | 70 | | UNLESS A COURT CHANGES THE ORDER." |
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71 | 71 | | "IT IS UNLAWFUL FOR ANY PERSON, OTHER THAN A PEACE OFFICER, AS |
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72 | 72 | | DEFINED BY SECTION 1.07, PENAL CODE, ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN EMPLOYMENT |
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73 | 73 | | AS A SWORN, FULL-TIME PAID EMPLOYEE OF A STATE AGENCY OR POLITICAL |
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74 | 74 | | SUBDIVISION, WHO IS SUBJECT TO A PROTECTIVE ORDER TO POSSESS A |
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75 | 75 | | FIREARM OR AMMUNITION. A PERSON SUBJECT TO THIS ORDER MUST DISPOSE |
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76 | 76 | | OF ANY FIREARMS IN THE PERSON'S POSSESSION OR CONTROL AS PROVIDED BY |
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77 | 77 | | CHAPTER 68, CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE." |
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78 | 78 | | SECTION 3. Article 17.292(g), Code of Criminal Procedure, |
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79 | 79 | | is amended to read as follows: |
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80 | 80 | | (g) An order for emergency protection issued under this |
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81 | 81 | | article must contain the following statements printed in bold-face |
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82 | 82 | | type or in capital letters: |
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83 | 83 | | "A VIOLATION OF THIS ORDER BY COMMISSION OF AN ACT PROHIBITED |
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84 | 84 | | BY THE ORDER MAY BE PUNISHABLE BY A FINE OF AS MUCH AS $4,000 OR BY |
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85 | 85 | | CONFINEMENT IN JAIL FOR AS LONG AS ONE YEAR OR BY BOTH. AN ACT THAT |
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86 | 86 | | RESULTS IN A SEPARATE OFFENSE MAY BE PROSECUTED AS A SEPARATE |
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87 | 87 | | MISDEMEANOR OR FELONY OFFENSE, AS APPLICABLE, IN ADDITION TO A |
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88 | 88 | | VIOLATION OF THIS ORDER. IF THE ACT IS PROSECUTED AS A SEPARATE |
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89 | 89 | | FELONY OFFENSE, IT IS PUNISHABLE BY CONFINEMENT IN PRISON FOR AT |
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90 | 90 | | LEAST TWO YEARS. THE POSSESSION OF A FIREARM BY A PERSON, OTHER |
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91 | 91 | | THAN A PEACE OFFICER, AS DEFINED BY SECTION 1.07, PENAL CODE, |
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92 | 92 | | ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN EMPLOYMENT AS A SWORN, FULL-TIME PAID EMPLOYEE |
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93 | 93 | | OF A STATE AGENCY OR POLITICAL SUBDIVISION, WHO IS SUBJECT TO THIS |
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94 | 94 | | ORDER MAY BE PROSECUTED AS A SEPARATE OFFENSE PUNISHABLE BY |
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95 | 95 | | CONFINEMENT OR IMPRISONMENT. A PERSON SUBJECT TO THIS ORDER MUST |
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96 | 96 | | DISPOSE OF ANY FIREARMS IN THE PERSON'S POSSESSION OR CONTROL AS |
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97 | 97 | | PROVIDED BY CHAPTER 68, CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE." |
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98 | 98 | | "NO PERSON, INCLUDING A PERSON WHO IS PROTECTED BY THIS |
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99 | 99 | | ORDER, MAY GIVE PERMISSION TO ANYONE TO IGNORE OR VIOLATE ANY |
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100 | 100 | | PROVISION OF THIS ORDER. DURING THE TIME IN WHICH THIS ORDER IS |
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101 | 101 | | VALID, EVERY PROVISION OF THIS ORDER IS IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT |
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102 | 102 | | UNLESS A COURT CHANGES THE ORDER." |
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103 | 103 | | SECTION 4. Section 85.026(a), Family Code, is amended to |
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104 | 104 | | read as follows: |
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105 | 105 | | (a) Each protective order issued under this subtitle, |
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106 | 106 | | including a temporary ex parte order, must contain the following |
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107 | 107 | | prominently displayed statements in boldfaced type, capital |
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108 | 108 | | letters, or underlined: |
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109 | 109 | | "A PERSON WHO VIOLATES THIS ORDER MAY BE PUNISHED FOR |
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110 | 110 | | CONTEMPT OF COURT BY A FINE OF AS MUCH AS $500 OR BY CONFINEMENT IN |
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111 | 111 | | JAIL FOR AS LONG AS SIX MONTHS, OR BOTH." |
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112 | 112 | | "NO PERSON, INCLUDING A PERSON WHO IS PROTECTED BY THIS |
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113 | 113 | | ORDER, MAY GIVE PERMISSION TO ANYONE TO IGNORE OR VIOLATE ANY |
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114 | 114 | | PROVISION OF THIS ORDER. DURING THE TIME IN WHICH THIS ORDER IS |
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115 | 115 | | VALID, EVERY PROVISION OF THIS ORDER IS IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT |
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116 | 116 | | UNLESS A COURT CHANGES THE ORDER." |
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117 | 117 | | "IT IS UNLAWFUL FOR ANY PERSON, OTHER THAN A PEACE OFFICER, AS |
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118 | 118 | | DEFINED BY SECTION 1.07, PENAL CODE, ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN EMPLOYMENT |
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119 | 119 | | AS A SWORN, FULL-TIME PAID EMPLOYEE OF A STATE AGENCY OR POLITICAL |
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120 | 120 | | SUBDIVISION, WHO IS SUBJECT TO A PROTECTIVE ORDER TO POSSESS A |
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121 | 121 | | FIREARM OR AMMUNITION. A PERSON SUBJECT TO THIS ORDER MUST DISPOSE |
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122 | 122 | | OF ANY FIREARMS IN THE PERSON'S POSSESSION OR CONTROL AS PROVIDED BY |
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123 | 123 | | CHAPTER 68, CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE." |
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124 | 124 | | "IF A PERSON SUBJECT TO A PROTECTIVE ORDER IS RELEASED FROM |
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125 | 125 | | CONFINEMENT OR IMPRISONMENT FOLLOWING THE DATE THE ORDER WOULD HAVE |
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126 | 126 | | EXPIRED, OR IF THE ORDER WOULD HAVE EXPIRED NOT LATER THAN THE FIRST |
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127 | 127 | | ANNIVERSARY OF THE DATE THE PERSON IS RELEASED FROM CONFINEMENT OR |
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128 | 128 | | IMPRISONMENT, THE ORDER IS AUTOMATICALLY EXTENDED TO EXPIRE ON: |
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129 | 129 | | "(1) THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE DATE THE PERSON IS |
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130 | 130 | | RELEASED, IF THE PERSON WAS SENTENCED TO CONFINEMENT OR |
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131 | 131 | | IMPRISONMENT FOR A TERM OF MORE THAN FIVE YEARS; OR |
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132 | 132 | | "(2) THE SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF THE DATE THE PERSON IS |
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133 | 133 | | RELEASED, IF THE PERSON WAS SENTENCED TO CONFINEMENT OR |
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134 | 134 | | IMPRISONMENT FOR A TERM OF FIVE YEARS OR LESS." |
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135 | 135 | | "A VIOLATION OF THIS ORDER BY COMMISSION OF AN ACT PROHIBITED |
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136 | 136 | | BY THE ORDER MAY BE PUNISHABLE BY A FINE OF AS MUCH AS $4,000 OR BY |
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137 | 137 | | CONFINEMENT IN JAIL FOR AS LONG AS ONE YEAR, OR BOTH. AN ACT THAT |
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138 | 138 | | RESULTS IN FAMILY VIOLENCE MAY BE PROSECUTED AS A SEPARATE |
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139 | 139 | | MISDEMEANOR OR FELONY OFFENSE. IF THE ACT IS PROSECUTED AS A |
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140 | 140 | | SEPARATE FELONY OFFENSE, IT IS PUNISHABLE BY CONFINEMENT IN PRISON |
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141 | 141 | | FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS." |
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142 | 142 | | SECTION 5. (a) Chapter 68, Code of Criminal Procedure, as |
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143 | 143 | | added by this Act, applies only to a person who is convicted of an |
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144 | 144 | | offense described by Article 68.001(1), Code of Criminal Procedure, |
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145 | 145 | | as added by this Act, on or after January 1, 2026, or who is the |
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146 | 146 | | subject of an order described by Article 68.001(2), Code of |
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147 | 147 | | Criminal Procedure, as added by this Act, or who is subject to a |
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148 | 148 | | condition of bond or community supervision described by Article |
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149 | 149 | | 68.001(3), Code of Criminal Procedure, as added by this Act, that is |
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150 | 150 | | issued on or after that date. A person who is convicted of an |
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151 | 151 | | offense before January 1, 2026, who is the subject of an order |
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152 | 152 | | issued before that date, or who is subject to a condition imposed |
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153 | 153 | | before that date, is governed by the law in effect immediately |
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154 | 154 | | before the effective date of this Act, and the former law is |
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155 | 155 | | continued in effect for that purpose. |
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156 | 156 | | (b) The Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial |
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157 | 157 | | System shall adopt the model affidavit required by Article 68.004, |
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158 | 158 | | Code of Criminal Procedure, as added by this Act, not later than |
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159 | 159 | | December 1, 2025. |
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160 | 160 | | SECTION 6. The change in law made by this Act relating to |
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161 | 161 | | the contents of a protective order or a magistrate's order for |
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162 | 162 | | emergency protection applies to an order issued on or after January |
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163 | 163 | | 1, 2026. An order issued before that date is governed by the law as |
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164 | 164 | | it existed immediately before the effective date of this Act, and |
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165 | 165 | | the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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166 | 166 | | SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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