By:  Gutierrez                                          H.B. No. 82
       73R1093 DRH-F
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the creation of a stalking offense, conditions of
    1-3  probation, parole, or mandatory supervision for defendants
    1-4  convicted of stalking, and notice to victims of stalking about
    1-5  changes in a defendant's custody status.
    1-6        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-7        SECTION 1.  Chapter 22, Penal Code, is amended by adding
    1-8  Section 22.11 to read as follows:
    1-9        Sec. 22.11.  STALKING.  (a)  A person commits an offense if
   1-10  the person knowingly:
   1-11              (1)  on more than one occasion follows or harasses
   1-12  another person; and
   1-13              (2)  makes a threat to the person that would cause a
   1-14  reasonable person to fear for himself or a member of his family
   1-15  bodily injury or death.
   1-16        (b)  Except as provided by Subsection (c) of this section, an
   1-17  offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor.
   1-18        (c)  An offense under this section is a felony of the third
   1-19  degree if:
   1-20              (1)  there is a court order in effect prohibiting the
   1-21  actor from engaging in conduct described in Subsection (a) of this
   1-22  section against the person; or
   1-23              (2)  it is shown at trial for the offense that within
   1-24  the last seven years the actor has been previously convicted under
    2-1  this title.
    2-2        (d)  If conduct constituting an offense under this section
    2-3  also constitutes an offense under another section of this code, the
    2-4  actor may be prosecuted under either section.
    2-5        (e)  In this section:
    2-6              (1)  "Family" has the meaning assigned by Section
    2-7  71.01, Family Code.
    2-8              (2)  "Harass" means to engage in conduct that is not
    2-9  legally protected and that is intended to abuse, alarm, annoy, or
   2-10  torment a specific person.
   2-11        SECTION 2.  Section 11, Article 42.12, Code of Criminal
   2-12  Procedure, is amended by adding Subsection (l) to read as follows:
   2-13        (l)  The court shall require as a condition of probation that
   2-14  a defendant convicted of a felony under Section 22.11, Penal Code,
   2-15  attend psychological counseling sessions the court determines
   2-16  appropriate.  The court shall determine the period for which the
   2-17  defendant must attend the sessions.
   2-18        SECTION 3.  Section 8, Article 42.18, Code of Criminal
   2-19  Procedure, is amended by adding Subsection (o) to read as follows:
   2-20        (o)  In addition to other conditions imposed by a parole
   2-21  panel under this article, the parole panel shall require as a
   2-22  condition of parole or release to mandatory supervision that a
   2-23  defendant convicted of a felony under Section 22.11, Penal Code,
   2-24  attend psychological counseling sessions the parole panel
   2-25  determines appropriate.  The parole panel shall determine the
   2-26  period for which the defendant must attend the sessions.
   2-27        SECTION 4.  Chapter 56, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
    3-1  amended by adding Article 56.11 to read as follows:
    3-2        Art. 56.11.  NOTIFICATION TO STALKING VICTIM.  (a)  The
    3-3  institutional division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice
    3-4  shall notify the victim of the offense and local law enforcement
    3-5  officials in the county where the victim resides whenever a person
    3-6  convicted of a felony offense under Section 22.11, Penal Code:
    3-7              (1)  is released on parole or mandatory supervision;
    3-8              (2)  completes the person's sentence and is released;
    3-9              (3)  escapes from a facility operated by the
   3-10  institutional division; or
   3-11              (4)  is transferred to a less restrictive facility.
   3-12        (b)  If the institutional division notifies a stalking victim
   3-13  that the defendant's confinement status has changed under
   3-14  Subsection (a)(1) or (2), the notice must include a statement that
   3-15  the victim has the right to apply to a court of competent
   3-16  jurisdiction for a protective order from conduct by the defendant.
   3-17        SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1993.
   3-18        SECTION 6.  The importance of this legislation and the
   3-19  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   3-20  emergency   and   an   imperative   public   necessity   that   the
   3-21  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   3-22  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.