HBA-NLM H.B. 376 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 376
By: Williams
Criminal Jurisprudence
4/30/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, the statute of limitations is three years for the crimes of
kidnapping, injury to a child, injury to an elderly person, injury to a
disabled person, and abandoning or endangering a child.  H.B. 376 increases
the statute of limitations for these crimes to five years. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Article 12.01, Code of Criminal Procedure, to include
kidnapping,  injury to a child, elderly individual, or disabled individual,
or abandoning or endangering a child among the list of offenses which may
be presented for felony indictment within five years from the date of the
commission of the offense, except as provided in Article 12.03 (Aggravated
offenses, attempt, conspiracy, solicitation, organized criminal activity).
Makes nonsubstantive changes. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 1999. 
                       Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.