By Pitts                                        H.B. No. 2343

      75R3007 GWK-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to facilitating victim-offender mediation as a part of a

 1-3     plea-bargain arrangement.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Article 26.13, Code of Criminal Procedure, is

 1-6     amended by adding Subsection (g) to read as follows:

 1-7           (g)  Before accepting a plea of guilty or a plea of nolo

 1-8     contendere and on the request of a victim of the offense, the court

 1-9     may assist the victim and the defendant in participating in a

1-10     victim-offender mediation program.

1-11           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-12     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-13     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-14     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-15     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

1-16     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

1-17     passage, and it is so enacted.