Amend HB 156 by adding appropriately numbered SECTIONS to
read as follows and by renumbering existing SECTIONS accordingly:
      SECTION ____. Article 56.11, Code of Criminal Procedure, as
amended by S.B. No. 97, Acts of the 75th Legislature, Regular
Session, 1997, is amended to read as follows:
      Art. 56.11.  NOTIFICATION TO <STALKING> VICTIM OF RELEASE OR
ESCAPE OF DEFENDANT. (a)  The <institutional division of the> Texas
Department of Criminal Justice or the sheriff, whichever has
custody of the defendant in the case of a felony, or the sheriff in
the case of a misdemeanor, shall notify the victim of the offense
<and local law enforcement officials in the county where the victim
resides> whenever a person convicted of an <a felony> offense
described by Subsection (c) <under Subsection (a) as enhanced by
Subsection (b) of  Section 42.072, Penal Code>:
            (1)  completes the person's sentence and is released;
or
            (2)  escapes from a correctional facility <operated by
the institutional division>.
      (b)  If the Texas Department of Criminal Justice is required
by Subsection (a) to give notice to the victim of an offense, the
department shall also give notice to local law enforcement
officials in the county in which the victim resides.
      (c)  This article applies to a person convicted of an offense
involving family violence, stalking, or violation of a protective
order or magistrate's order.
      (d)  It is the responsibility of a <the> victim desiring
notification of the offender's release to provide the Texas
Department of Criminal Justice or the sheriff, as appropriate, with
the address and telephone number of the victim or other person
through whom the victim may be contacted and to notify the
department or the sheriff <institutional division of the Texas
Department of Criminal Justice> of any change of address or
telephone number of the victim or other person.  Information
obtained and maintained by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice
or a sheriff under this subsection is privileged and confidential.
      (e) <(c)>  The <institutional division of the> Texas
Department of Criminal Justice or the sheriff, as appropriate,
shall make a reasonable attempt to give the notice required by
Subsection (a) <of this article>:
            (1)  not later than the 30th day before the person
completes the sentence and is released; or
            (2)  immediately if the person escapes from the
correctional facility <operated by the institutional division>.
      (f)  An attempt by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice
or the sheriff to give notice to the victim at the victim's last
known address, as shown on the records of the department or agency,
constitutes a reasonable attempt to give notice under this article.
      (g)  In this article:
            (1)  "Correctional facility" has the meaning assigned
by Section 1.07, Penal Code.
            (2)  "Family violence" has the meaning assigned by
Section 71.01, Family Code.
      SECTION ____. The change in law made by this Act to Article
56.11, Code of Criminal Procedure, applies to the notification of a
victim about the release or escape of an inmate  only if the
release or escape occurs on or after October 1, 1997. Notification
of a victim about the release or escape of an inmate  if the
release or escape occurs before October 1, 1997, is covered by the
law in effect when the release or escape occurs, and the former law
is continued in effect for this purpose.