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.