By Garcia H.B. No. 1968 75R7721 GWK-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to punishing as contempt the violation of a condition of a 1-3 peace bond. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Article 7.03, Code of Criminal Procedure, is 1-6 amended to read as follows: 1-7 Art. 7.03. ACCUSED BROUGHT BEFORE MAGISTRATE. When the 1-8 accused has been brought before the magistrate, he shall hear proof 1-9 as to the accusation, and if he be satisfied that there is just 1-10 reason to apprehend that the offense was intended to be committed, 1-11 or that the threat was seriously made, he shall make an order that 1-12 the accused enter into bond in such sum as he may in his discretion 1-13 require, conditioned that he will not commit such offense, and that 1-14 he will keep the peace toward the person threatened or about to be 1-15 injured, and toward all others named in the bond for any period of 1-16 time, not to exceed one year from the date of the bond. The 1-17 magistrate shall admonish the accused that if the accused violates 1-18 a condition of the bond, the court, in addition to ordering 1-19 forfeiture of the bond, may punish the accused for contempt under 1-20 Section 21.002(c), Government Code. 1-21 SECTION 2. Chapter 7, Code of Criminal Procedure, is amended 1-22 by adding Article 7.18 to read as follows: 1-23 Art. 7.18. CONTEMPT. Violation of a condition of bond 1-24 imposed under this chapter is punishable by: 2-1 (1) forfeiture of the bond; 2-2 (2) imposition of the fine and confinement for 2-3 contempt under Section 21.002(c), Government Code; or 2-4 (3) both forfeiture of the bond and imposition of the 2-5 fine and confinement. 2-6 SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only 2-7 to an accused who violates a condition of a peace bond that is 2-8 entered into by the accused on or after the effective date of this 2-9 Act. An accused who violates a condition of a peace bond that is 2-10 entered into before the effective date of this Act is covered by 2-11 the law in effect at the time the accused entered into the peace 2-12 bond, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. 2-13 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. 2-14 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the 2-15 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-16 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-17 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-18 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.