By Keel H.B. No. 700
75R4211 GWK-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the punishment for the offense of theft.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 31.03(e), Penal Code, is amended to read
1-5 as follows:
1-6 (e) Except as provided by Subsection (f), an offense under
1-7 this section is:
1-8 (1) a Class C misdemeanor if the value of the property
1-9 stolen is less than:
1-10 (A) $20 [$50]; or
1-11 (B) $10 [$20] and the defendant obtained the
1-12 property by issuing or passing a check or similar sight order in a
1-13 manner described by Section 31.06;
1-14 (2) a Class B misdemeanor if:
1-15 (A) the value of the property stolen is:
1-16 (i) $20 [$50] or more but less than $500;
1-17 or
1-18 (ii) $10 [$20] or more but less than $500
1-19 and the defendant obtained the property by issuing or passing a
1-20 check or similar sight order in a manner described by Section
1-21 31.06; or
1-22 (B) the value of the property stolen is less
1-23 than:
1-24 (i) $20 [$50] and the defendant has
2-1 previously been convicted of any grade of theft; or
2-2 (ii) $10 [$20], the defendant has
2-3 previously been convicted of any grade of theft, and the defendant
2-4 obtained the property by issuing or passing a check or similar
2-5 sight order in a manner described by Section 31.06;
2-6 (3) a Class A misdemeanor if the value of the property
2-7 stolen is $500 or more but less than $1,500;
2-8 (4) a state jail felony if:
2-9 (A) the value of the property stolen is $1,500
2-10 or more but less than $20,000, or the property is less than 10 head
2-11 of cattle, horses, or exotic livestock or exotic fowl as defined by
2-12 Section 142.001, Agriculture Code, or any part thereof under the
2-13 value of $20,000, or less than 100 head of sheep, swine, or goats
2-14 or any part thereof under the value of $20,000;
2-15 (B) regardless of value, the property is stolen
2-16 from the person of another or from a human corpse or grave;
2-17 (C) the property stolen is a firearm, as defined
2-18 by Section 46.01; or
2-19 (D) the value of the property stolen is less
2-20 than $1,500 and the defendant has been previously convicted two or
2-21 more times of any grade of theft;
2-22 (5) a felony of the third degree if the value of the
2-23 property stolen is $20,000 or more but less than $100,000, or the
2-24 property is:
2-25 (A) 10 or more head of cattle, horses, or exotic
2-26 livestock or exotic fowl as defined by Section 142.001,
2-27 Agriculture Code, stolen during a single transaction and having an
3-1 aggregate value of less than $100,000; or
3-2 (B) 100 or more head of sheep, swine, or goats
3-3 stolen during a single transaction and having an aggregate value of
3-4 less than $100,000;
3-5 (6) a felony of the second degree if the value of the
3-6 property stolen is $100,000 or more but less than $200,000; or
3-7 (7) a felony of the first degree if the value of the
3-8 property stolen is $200,000 or more.
3-9 SECTION 2. (a) The change in law made by this Act applies
3-10 only to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this
3-11 Act. For purposes of this section, an offense is committed before
3-12 the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurs
3-13 before the effective date.
3-14 (b) An offense committed before the effective date of this
3-15 Act is covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed,
3-16 and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
3-17 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.
3-18 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
3-19 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-20 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-21 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-22 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.