By:  Gallego                                          H.B. No. 2595
       73R6853 DRH-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the rights of close relatives and guardians of crime
    1-3  victims.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Chapter 56, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
    1-6  amended by adding Article 56.11 to read as follows:
    1-7        Art. 56.11.  NOTICE TO CLOSE RELATIVES AND GUARDIANS OF CRIME
    1-8  VICTIMS.  (a)  A close relative of a victim or the guardian of the
    1-9  victim is entitled to all the rights of a victim under this
   1-10  chapter.
   1-11        (b)  In this article, "close relative of a victim" means a
   1-12  person who was the spouse of the victim at the time of the offense
   1-13  or who is a parent or adult brother, sister, or child of the
   1-14  victim.
   1-15        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-16  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-17  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   1-18  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   1-19  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   1-20  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
   1-21  passage, and it is so enacted.