By Hochberg H.B. No. 1333 75R6177 GWK-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the punishment for an offense motivated by bias or 1-3 prejudice. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Section 12.47, Penal Code, is amended to read as 1-6 follows: 1-7 Sec. 12.47. Penalty if Offense Committed Because of Bias or 1-8 Prejudice. If the court makes an affirmative finding under Article 1-9 42.014, Code of Criminal Procedure, in the punishment phase of the 1-10 trial of an offense other than a first degree felony or a Class A 1-11 misdemeanor, the punishment for the offense is increased to the 1-12 punishment prescribed for the next highest category of offense. If 1-13 the offense is a Class A misdemeanor, the minimum term of 1-14 confinement for the offense is increased to 180 days. 1-15 SECTION 2. (a) The change in the law made by this Act 1-16 applies only to an offense committed on or after the effective date 1-17 of this Act. For purposes of this section, an offense is committed 1-18 before the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense 1-19 occurs before the effective date. 1-20 (b) An offense committed before the effective date of this 1-21 Act is covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed, 1-22 and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. 1-23 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. 1-24 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 2-1 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-2 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-3 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-4 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.