By Sibley S.B. No. 1279
74R6347 GWK-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the admissibility of evidence of other crimes, wrongs,
1-3 or acts committed against a child in certain criminal cases.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 38, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
1-6 amended by adding Article 38.02 to read as follows:
1-7 Art. 38.02. EVIDENCE OF EXTRANEOUS OFFENSES OR ACTS
1-8 Sec. 1. This article applies to a proceeding in the
1-9 prosecution of an offense defined by any of the following sections
1-10 of the Penal Code if the offense is alleged to have been committed
1-11 against a child who is under 13 years of age:
1-12 (1) Section 21.11 (Indecency with a Child);
1-13 (2) Section 22.011 (Sexual Assault);
1-14 (3) Section 22.021 (Aggravated Sexual Assault); or
1-15 (4) Section 25.02 (Prohibited Sexual Conduct).
1-16 Sec. 2. In addition to the purposes for which evidence may
1-17 be admissible under Rule 404(b), Texas Rules of Criminal Evidence,
1-18 evidence of other crimes, wrongs, or acts committed against the
1-19 child by the defendant charged with the offense may be admissible
1-20 to:
1-21 (1) show the probability of the offense;
1-22 (2) aid in evaluating the child's testimony against
1-23 the defendant if the defendant is responsible for the child's
1-24 welfare or is in a position of authority or control over the child;
2-1 (3) explain the relationship between the defendant and
2-2 the child if the defendant denies committing the charged offense or
2-3 denies the defendant's relationship to the child;
2-4 (4) prove the defendant's specific intent to arouse
2-5 and gratify the defendant's sexual desire in the charged offense;
2-6 (5) refute a defensive theory; or
2-7 (6) show the defendant's unnatural attention toward
2-8 the child.
2-9 Sec. 3. On timely request by the defendant, the state must
2-10 give to the defendant reasonable notice in advance of trial of the
2-11 state's intent to introduce in the case in chief evidence described
2-12 by Section 2 of this article other than evidence arising in the
2-13 same transaction.
2-14 SECTION 2. (a) The change in law made by this Act applies
2-15 only to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this
2-16 Act. For purposes of this section, an offense is committed before
2-17 the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurs
2-18 before the effective date.
2-19 (b) An offense committed before the effective date of this
2-20 Act is covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed,
2-21 and the former law is continued in effect for this purpose.
2-22 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
2-23 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
2-24 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-25 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-26 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-27 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.