By Danburg H.B. No. 126 75R11806 GWK-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the time of the day at which a defendant confined on 1-3 conviction of a misdemeanor discharges the sentence of confinement. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Article 43.13, Code of Criminal Procedure, is 1-6 amended to read as follows: 1-7 Art. 43.13. DISCHARGE OF DEFENDANT. (a) A defendant who 1-8 has remained in jail the length of time required by the judgment 1-9 and sentence shall be discharged. The sheriff shall return the 1-10 copy of the judgment and sentence, or the capias under which the 1-11 defendant was imprisoned, to the proper court, stating how it was 1-12 executed. 1-13 (b) A defendant convicted of a misdemeanor and sentenced to 1-14 a term of confinement of more than 30 days discharges the 1-15 defendant's sentence at any time between the hours of 6 a.m. and 7 1-16 p.m. on the day of discharge. 1-17 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. 1-18 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 1-19 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-20 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-21 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-22 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.