By Talton                                             H.B. No. 2421
       74R4050 GWK-F
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the punishment for repeat or habitual misdemeanor
    1-3  offenders.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Sections 12.43(a) and (b), Penal Code, are
    1-6  amended to read as follows:
    1-7        (a)  If it is shown on the trial of a Class A misdemeanor
    1-8  that the defendant has been before convicted of a Class A
    1-9  misdemeanor or any degree of felony, on conviction he shall be
   1-10  punished by:
   1-11              (1)  a fine not to exceed $4,000;
   1-12              (2)  confinement in jail for any term of not more than
   1-13  one year or less than 90 days; or
   1-14              (3)  both such fine and confinement.
   1-15        (b)  If it is shown on the trial of a Class B misdemeanor
   1-16  that the defendant has been before convicted of a Class A or Class
   1-17  B misdemeanor or any degree of felony, on conviction he shall be
   1-18  punished by:
   1-19              (1)  a fine not to exceed $2,000;
   1-20              (2)  confinement in jail for any term of not more than
   1-21  180 days or less than 30 days; or
   1-22              (3)  both such fine and confinement.
   1-23        SECTION 2.  (a)  The change in law made by this Act applies
   1-24  only to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this
    2-1  Act.  For purposes of this section, an offense is committed before
    2-2  the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurs
    2-3  before the effective date.
    2-4        (b)  An offense committed before the effective date of this
    2-5  Act is covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed,
    2-6  and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
    2-7        SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
    2-8        SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-9  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   2-10  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   2-11  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-12  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.