By Hartnett                                           H.B. No. 1911
       74R3085 NSC-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the stay of a proceeding for the forfeiture of
    1-3  contraband.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Chapter 59, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
    1-6  amended by adding Article 59.041 to read as follows:
    1-7        Art. 59.041.  STAY OF FORFEITURE PROCEEDING.  The court shall
    1-8  grant a stay of a forfeiture proceeding on motion of the attorney
    1-9  representing the state if a criminal proceeding is pending and
   1-10  involves the same offense for which the contraband was seized, the
   1-11  same parties, common issues of law and fact, and the same evidence
   1-12  as in the forfeiture proceeding.
   1-13        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-14  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-15  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   1-16  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   1-17  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   1-18  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
   1-19  passage, and it is so enacted.