AN ACT
1-1 relating to the penalty for failure to report abuse of persons who
1-2 are elderly or disabled.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Subsection (a), Section 48.0361, Human Resources
1-5 Code, is amended to read as follows:
1-6 (a) A person commits an offense if the person has cause to
1-7 believe that an elderly or disabled person has been abused,
1-8 exploited, or neglected or is in the state of abuse, exploitation,
1-9 or neglect and knowingly fails to report in accordance with Section
1-10 48.036 or Subchapter E. An offense under this subsection is a
1-11 Class A [B] misdemeanor.
1-12 SECTION 2. (a) The change in law made by this Act applies
1-13 only to the punishment for an offense committed on or after the
1-14 effective date of this Act. For purposes of this section, an
1-15 offense is committed before the effective date of this Act if any
1-16 element of the offense occurs before the effective date.
1-17 (b) An offense committed before the effective date of this
1-18 Act is covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed,
1-19 and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
1-20 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.
1-21 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
1-22 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-23 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-1 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-2 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 61 passed the Senate on
March 11, 1997, by a viva-voce vote.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 61 passed the House on
May 28, 1997, by a non-record vote.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
_______________________________
Date
_______________________________
Governor