By Hightower                                     H.B. No. 975

      75R839 GWK-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to preventing escape as a defense to prosecution for

 1-3     certain criminal offenses.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 9.01(2), Penal Code, is amended to read

 1-6     as follows:

 1-7                 (2)  "Escape" has the meaning assigned by Section 38.01

 1-8     [means unauthorized departure from custody or failure to return to

 1-9     custody following temporary leave for a specific purpose or limited

1-10     period, but does not include a violation of conditions of community

1-11     supervision or parole, or following leave that is part of an

1-12     intermittent sentence].

1-13           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-14     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-15     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-16     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-17     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

1-18     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

1-19     passage, and it is so enacted.