By:  Gallego                                           H.B. No. 425
       73R719 CLG-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the reimbursement for travel and living expenses of
    1-3  certain witnesses in criminal cases.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Section 1, Article 35.27, Code of Criminal
    1-6  Procedure, is amended to read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 1.  Every person subpoenaed by either party or otherwise
    1-8  required or requested in writing by the prosecuting attorney or the
    1-9  court to appear for the purpose of giving testimony in a criminal
   1-10  proceeding who resides 50 or more miles from the place where the
   1-11  proceeding is held <outside the State or the county in which the
   1-12  prosecution is pending> shall be compensated by the State for the
   1-13  reasonable and necessary travel and daily living expenses he incurs
   1-14  by reason of his attendance as a witness at such proceeding.
   1-15        SECTION 2.  This section applies to reimbursement of a
   1-16  witness for travel expenses and daily living expenses incurred on
   1-17  or after the effective date of this Act.  The reimbursement for
   1-18  expenses incurred before the effective date of this Act is governed
   1-19  by the law in effect when the expenses were incurred, and the
   1-20  former law is continued in effect for this purpose.
   1-21        SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1993.
   1-22        SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-23  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-24  emergency   and   an   imperative   public   necessity   that   the
    2-1  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-2  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.