By Brown S.B. No. 39 74R917 DD-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the making of a statement to a court and to the 1-3 defendant by a victim of a criminal offense or the victim's 1-4 relative or guardian. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Section 1(b), Article 42.03, Code of Criminal 1-7 Procedure, is amended to read as follows: 1-8 (b) The court shall permit a victim, close relative of a 1-9 deceased victim, or guardian of a victim, as defined by Article 1-10 56.01 of this code, to appear in person to present to the court and 1-11 to the defendant a statement of the person's views about the 1-12 offense, the defendant, and the effect of the offense on the 1-13 victim. The victim, relative, or guardian may not direct questions 1-14 to the defendant while making the statement. The court reporter 1-15 may not transcribe the statement. The statement must be made: 1-16 (1) after punishment has been assessed and the court 1-17 has determined whether or not to grant community supervision in the 1-18 case; 1-19 (2) after the court has announced the terms and 1-20 conditions of the sentence; and 1-21 (3) after sentence is pronounced. 1-22 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995. 1-23 SECTION 3. 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.