HBA-TYH H.B. 417 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 417 By: Talton Criminal Jurisprudence 4/23/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, under Texas law, any criminal offense committed against a child may be prosecuted in any county in which the offender is found or in which an element of the offense occurs. This includes the county in which the victim is abducted, or the county through which the victim is transported in the course of the crime. H.B. 417 allows a criminal offense committed against a child to be prosecuted in the county in which the child resides at the time the alleged offense occurs. 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 Chapter 13, Code of Criminal Procedure, by adding Article 13.151, as follows: Art. 13.151. CERTAIN OFFENSES AGAINST CHILDREN. Provides that an offense under Chapter 21(Sexual Offenses) or 22 (Assaultive Offenses), Penal Code, or Section 25.02 (Prohibited Sexual Conduct) or 43.25 (Sexual Performance by a Child), Penal Code, committed against a child younger than 15 years of age may be prosecuted in the county in which the child resides at the time the information or indictment alleging the offense is presented. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1999. Makes application of this Act prospective. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.