By McDonald H.B. No. 1043
74R3808 DD-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the testimony of an accomplice in a criminal
1-3 proceeding.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Article 38.14, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
1-6 amended to read as follows:
1-7 Art. 38.14. TESTIMONY OF ACCOMPLICE. A conviction may
1-8 <cannot> be had upon the testimony of an accomplice without
1-9 corroboration <unless corroborated> by other evidence tending to
1-10 connect the defendant with the offense committed<; and the
1-11 corroboration is not sufficient if it merely shows the commission
1-12 of the offense>.
1-13 SECTION 2. (a) The change in law made by this Act applies
1-14 only to testimony relating to an offense committed on or after the
1-15 effective date of this Act. For purposes of this section, an
1-16 offense is committed before the effective date of this Act if any
1-17 element of the offense occurs before that date.
1-18 (b) Testimony relating to an offense committed before the
1-19 effective date of this Act is covered by the law in effect when the
1-20 offense was committed, and the former law is continued in effect
1-21 for that purpose.
1-22 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
1-23 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
1-24 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-1 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-2 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-3 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.