H.B. No. 261
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the requirement of corroboration of testimony in the
    1-3  prosecution of certain offenses.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Article 38.07, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
    1-6  amended to read as follows:
    1-7        Art. 38.07.  TESTIMONY IN CORROBORATION OF VICTIM OF SEXUAL
    1-8  OFFENSE.  A conviction under Chapter 21, Section 22.011, or Section
    1-9  22.021, Penal Code, is supportable on the uncorroborated testimony
   1-10  of the victim of the sexual offense if the victim informed any
   1-11  person, other than the defendant, of the alleged offense within one
   1-12  year <six months> after the date on which the offense is alleged to
   1-13  have occurred.  The requirement that the victim inform another
   1-14  person of an alleged offense does not apply if the victim was
   1-15  younger than 18 <14> years of age at the time of the alleged
   1-16  offense.  <The court shall instruct the jury that the time which
   1-17  lapsed between the alleged offense and the time it was reported
   1-18  shall be considered by the jury only for the purpose of assessing
   1-19  the weight to be given to the testimony of the victim.>
   1-20        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-21  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-22  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   1-23  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   1-24  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
    2-1  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    2-2  passage, and it is so enacted.