S.B. No. 39
                                        AN ACT
    1-1  relating to the making of a statement to a court and to the
    1-2  defendant by a victim of a criminal offense or the victim's
    1-3  relative or guardian.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Subsection (b), Section 1, Article 42.03, Code of
    1-6  Criminal Procedure, is amended to read as follows:
    1-7        (b)  The court shall permit a victim, close relative of a
    1-8  deceased victim, or guardian of a victim, as defined by Article
    1-9  56.01 of this code, to appear in person to present to the court and
   1-10  to the defendant a statement of the person's views about the
   1-11  offense, the defendant, and the effect of the offense on the
   1-12  victim.  The victim, relative, or guardian may not direct questions
   1-13  to the defendant while making the statement.  The court reporter
   1-14  may not transcribe the statement.  The statement must be made:
   1-15              (1)  after punishment has been assessed and the court
   1-16  has determined whether or not to grant community supervision in the
   1-17  case;
   1-18              (2)  after the court has announced the terms and
   1-19  conditions of the sentence; and
   1-20              (3)  after sentence is pronounced.
   1-21        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
   1-22        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-23  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-24  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-1  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-2  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.