SRC-JRN H.B. 2233 75(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 2233
By: Williams (Duncan)
Criminal Justice
5-15-97
Engrossed


DIGEST 

Currently, Texas law provides a statute of limitations of five years for
certain crimes.  However, crimes such as committing injury to a child and
abandoning and endangering a child is only three years.  This bill
increases the statute of limitations from three to five years for certain
crimes committed against children. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 2233 increases the statute of limitations from three to
five years for certain crimes committed against children. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Article 12.01, Code of Criminal Procedure, to provide
that felony indictments may be presented within five years from the date
of the commission of the offense of certain offenses, including
kidnapping; injury to a child, elderly individual, or disabled individual;
and abandoning or endangering a child. 

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1997.  Provides that the change in
law made by this Act does not apply to an offense if the prosecution of
that offense became barred by limitation before the effective date of this
Act.  Provides that the prosecution of that offense remains barred as if
this Act had not taken effect. 

SECTION 3. Emergency clause.