HBA-RBT H.B. 684 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 684 By: Solomons Criminal Jurisprudence 2/26/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Between 1993 and 1997, the number of family violence incidents increased each year, with 1997's total reaching 181,773. Over that same period of time, there was an annual average of 132 women killed by their intimate male partner. A person seeking protection from an abusive person is reasonably entitled to believe that a protective order issued by a court provides a certain degree of security. H.B. 684 intends to increase the deterrent effect of a protective order by providing that if an individual is the subject of an order of protection, and that individual kills the person protected by the order, then the individual is eligible for the death penalty. 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 Section 19.03(a), Penal Code, to include in the list of capital murders the murder of a person protected by specified orders of protection, when the order was directed to the actor. Makes conforming and nonsubstantive changes. SECTION 2. Makes application of this Act prospective. SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 4. Emergency clause.