By: Horn H.B. No. 337 73R392 NSC-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to criminal responsibility of a parent for a child's 1-3 delinquent conduct; providing a penalty. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 25, Penal Code, is amended by adding 1-6 Section 25.12 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 25.12. CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY OF PARENT FOR CHILD'S 1-8 DELINQUENT CONDUCT. (a) In this section: 1-9 (1) "Child" means a person who is younger than 17 1-10 years of age. 1-11 (2) "Conduct indicating a need for supervision" has 1-12 the meaning assigned by Section 51.03(b), Family Code. 1-13 (3) "Delinquent conduct" has the meaning assigned by 1-14 Section 51.03(a), Family Code. 1-15 (4) "Parent" means a natural or adoptive parent, 1-16 stepparent, person in loco parentis, or legal guardian of the 1-17 person of the child. 1-18 (5) "Parental duty" means the continuous duty of a 1-19 parent to exercise reasonable control to prevent the parent's child 1-20 from engaging in delinquent conduct or conduct indicating a need 1-21 for supervision. The term includes the duty to: 1-22 (A) keep prohibited weapons as defined by 1-23 Section 46.06 of this code or a controlled substance as defined by 1-24 Section 481.002, Health and Safety Code, out of the child's 2-1 residence; and 2-2 (B) forbid the child from possessing stolen 2-3 property, a firearm as defined by Section 46.01 of this code, or a 2-4 controlled substance. 2-5 (b) A parent commits an offense if the parent recklessly or 2-6 with criminal negligence fails to perform a parental duty to 2-7 prevent the parent's child from engaging in delinquent conduct or 2-8 conduct indicating a need for supervision. 2-9 (c) An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor. 2-10 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1993. 2-11 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-12 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-13 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-14 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-15 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.