By Harris S.B. No. 612 75R5304 KEL-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to a defense to prosecution for abandoning or endangering 1-3 a child. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Section 22.041, Penal Code, is amended by adding 1-6 Subsection (g) to read as follows: 1-7 (g) It is a defense to prosecution under Subsection (c) that 1-8 the act or omission enables the child to practice for or 1-9 participate in an organized athletic event and that appropriate 1-10 safety equipment and procedures are employed in the event. 1-11 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. The 1-12 change in law made by this Act applies only to an offense committed 1-13 on or after September 1, 1997. An offense committed before 1-14 September 1, 1997, is covered by the law in effect when the offense 1-15 was committed, and the former law is continued in effect for that 1-16 purpose. For purposes of this section, an offense was committed 1-17 before September 1, 1997, if any element of the offense occurred 1-18 before that date. 1-19 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 1-20 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-21 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-22 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-23 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.