By Shapiro                                      S.B. No. 1664

      75R8660 JMC-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the creation of the offense of contributing to the

 1-3     delinquency or dependency of a child.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Title 3, Family Code, is amended by adding

 1-6     Chapter 61 to read as follows:

 1-7           CHAPTER 61.  CONTRIBUTING TO DELINQUENCY OR DEPENDENCY

 1-8                                 OF A CHILD

 1-9           Sec. 61.001.  DEFINITIONS.  In this chapter:

1-10                 (1)  "Child" means a person younger than 17 years of

1-11     age.

1-12                 (2)  "Delinquency" includes any act that tends to

1-13     debase or injure the morals, health, or welfare of a child;

1-14     drinking intoxicating liquor; using a controlled substance; going

1-15     into a place where intoxicating liquors or controlled substances

1-16     are kept, drunk, used, or sold; causing a child to leave home or to

1-17     leave the custody of the child's parent, guardian, or person

1-18     standing in lieu of the child's parent or guardian without first

1-19     receiving their consent or against the child's will; and doing any

1-20     other act that would constitute delinquent conduct or cause the

1-21     child to become a delinquent.

1-22           Sec. 61.002.  OFFENSE.  (a)  A person commits an offense if,

1-23     in any case in which a child is caused to become a delinquent or a

1-24     dependent and neglected child, the person encourages by any act,

 2-1     causes, acts in conjunction with, or contributes to the

 2-2     delinquency, dependency, or neglect of a child.

 2-3           (b)  An offense under Subsection (a) is a Class A

 2-4     misdemeanor.

 2-5           Sec. 61.003.  EXCLUDED DEFENSE.  It is not a defense to

 2-6     prosecution under Section 61.002 that the child has not been

 2-7     declared a delinquent child or a dependent or neglected child.

 2-8           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

 2-9           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

2-10     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-11     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-12     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-13     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.