By Van de Putte                                       H.B. No. 2379
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the theft of public assistance benefits obtained
    1-3  through the electronic benefits transfer system.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Section 31.01(5) and (6), Penal Code, are amended
    1-6  to read as follows:
    1-7              (5)  "Appropriate" means:
    1-8                    (A)  to bring about a transfer or purported
    1-9  transfer of title to or other nonpossessory interest in property,
   1-10  whether to the actor or another; or
   1-11                    (B)  to acquire or otherwise exercise control
   1-12  over property other than real property; or
   1-13                    (C)  to bring about the transfer of assistance
   1-14  benefits issued by a governmental entity, as provided in Subtitle
   1-15  C, Title 2, Human Resources Code, by electronic means.
   1-16              (6)  "Property" means:
   1-17                    (A)  real property;
   1-18                    (B)  tangible or intangible personal property
   1-19  including anything severed from land; <or>
   1-20                    (C)  a document, including money, that represents
   1-21  or embodies anything of value; or
   1-22                    (D)  assistance benefits issued by a governmental
   1-23  entity, as provided by Subtitle C, Title 2, Human Resources Code,
    2-1  including such benefits that are transferred electronically.
    2-2        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1993.
    2-3        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-4  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-5  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-6  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-7  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.