ACM S.B. 50 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS CRIMINAL JURISPRUDENCE S.B. 50 By: Shapiro (Driver) 5-23-97 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Currently, when a person's driver's license is suspended upon a DWI conviction, the penalty for driving while the license is suspended is a Class A misdemeanor. This bill would enhance the penalty to a state jail felony for driving while a license is suspended for a DWI offense. PURPOSE As proposed, S.B. 50, makes the penalty for driving while a driver's license is suspended, due to certain conditions, a state jail felony. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 521.457, Transportation Code, by amending Subsections (e) and (f), redesignating Subsection (g) as Subsection (h), and adding a new Subsection (g), as follows: (e) Makes conforming changes. (f) Provides that this subsection does not apply to an offense punishable under Subsection (g). (g) Provides that a person commits a state jail felony if it is shown on the trial of the offense that the person's driver's license was suspended for an offense under Section 49.04, Penal Code, for which the person was punished under Section 49.09(b) of that code, or an offense under Section 49.07 or 49.08 of that code. (h) Created from existing Subsection (g). SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1997. Makes application of this Act prospective. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.