By: Shapiro, Sims S.B. No. 46 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to requiring victim notification when an inmate escapes 1-2 from a facility operated by the institutional division of the Texas 1-3 Department of Criminal Justice. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 56, Code of Criminal 1-6 Procedure, is amended by adding Article 56.12 to read as follows: 1-7 Art. 56.12. NOTIFICATION OF ESCAPE. (a) The Texas 1-8 Department of Criminal Justice shall immediately make a reasonable 1-9 attempt to notify the victim of an offense, the victim's guardian, 1-10 or the victim's close relative, if the victim is deceased, whenever 1-11 the offender escapes from a facility operated by the institutional 1-12 division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, if the 1-13 victim, victim's guardian, or victim's close relative has notified 1-14 the institutional division as provided by Subsection (b) of this 1-15 article. An attempt by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to 1-16 give notice to the victim, the guardian of the victim, or a close 1-17 relative of a deceased victim at the victim's, the guardian of the 1-18 victim's, or a close relative of a deceased victim's last known 1-19 telephone number or address as shown on the records of the 1-20 department constitutes a reasonable attempt to give notice under 1-21 this subsection. 1-22 (b) It is the responsibility of the victim, guardian, or 1-23 close relative desiring notification of an offender's escape to 1-24 notify the Texas Department of Criminal Justice of the desire for 2-1 notification and any change of address. 2-2 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 2-3 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-4 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-5 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-6 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-7 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-8 passage, and it is so enacted.