By Patterson S.B. No. 1218 75R7050 JMC-F A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to venue in the prosecution of the offense of issuing a 1-3 bad check. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 13, Code of Criminal Procedure, is 1-6 amended by adding Article 13.26 to read as follows: 1-7 Art. 13.26. ISSUANCE OF BAD CHECK. Notwithstanding Articles 1-8 4.12 and 45.22, an offense under Section 32.41, Penal Code, may be 1-9 tried in any justice court precinct in the county in which: 1-10 (1) the offense was committed; or 1-11 (2) the victim of the alleged offense received by mail 1-12 or similar delivery service the check or similar sight order issued 1-13 or passed by the defendant. 1-14 SECTION 2. (a) Article 13.26, Code of Criminal Procedure, 1-15 as added by this Act, applies only to the venue for the trial of an 1-16 offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. For 1-17 purposes of this section, an offense is committed before the 1-18 effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurs 1-19 before that date. 1-20 (b) Venue for the trial of an offense committed before the 1-21 effective date of this Act is covered by the law in effect when the 1-22 offense was committed, and the former law is continued in effect 1-23 for that purpose. 1-24 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. 2-1 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 2-2 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-3 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-4 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-5 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.