BILL ANALYSIS C.S.S.B. 124 By: Moncrief Criminal Justice 1-31-95 Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND Stalking is a crime in which the offender shows a pattern of harassing and threatening behavior towards the victim. Stalking victims often use the time the offender is detained to make arrangements for their safety. Currently, a victim of stalking must contact the agency detaining the offender to find out if he or she has been released. Many times the victims do not find out that the offender has been released until the stalking behavior has resumed. PURPOSE As proposed, C.S.S.B. 124 requires law enforcement to notify a victim of a stalking if and when a person accused of the stalking is to be released. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Article 17.29, Code of Criminal Procedure, as follows: Art. 17.29. ACCUSED LIBERATED. (a) Created from existing text. (b) Requires a law enforcement agency arresting or holding a person arrested under Section 42.07(a)(7), Penal Code, before releasing the person, to make a reasonable attempt to give personal notice of the imminent release to the victim of the alleged offense or other designated person. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1995. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.