HBA-SEP H.B. 1554 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1554
By: Reyna, Arthur
Criminal Jurisprudence
4/17/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current law increases, from a Class A misdemeanor to a third degree felony,
the penalty for the offense of causing bodily injury to a member of the
defendant's family if the defendant has been previously convicted of
assault.  Adding other offenses for which the penalty is increased may
decrease incidents of family violence.  House Bill 1554 includes additional
offenses for which the penalty for the offense of causing bodily injury to
a member of the defendant's family is increased. 

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. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 1554 amends the Penal Code to provide that a person who
intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causes bodily injury to another
commits a felony of the third degree if the offense is committed against a
member of the defendant's family or household and if the defendant has been
previously convicted of an offense, against a member of the defendant's
family or household, of:  criminal homicide; kidnapping; aggravated
kidnapping; indecency with a child; sexual assault; aggravated assault;
aggravated sexual assault; injury to a child, elderly individual, or
disabled individual; abandoning or endangering a child; deadly conduct; or
terroristic threat.   

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.