HBA-KMH H.B. 2879 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2879
By: Chavez
Criminal Jurisprudence
4/12/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

A number of individuals prey on persons seeking unlawful entry into the
United States by transporting them into the country through Texas for
profit.  In some cases those being transported are forced into horrid
conditions that sometimes lead to death.  H.B. 2879 creates a state jail
felony for transporting a person in such a way as to hide the person from
government law enforcement and putting the person in danger or serious
bodily injury. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Chapter 20, Penal Code, by adding Section 20.05, as
follows: 

Sec.  20.05.  UNLAWFUL TRANSPORT.  Provides that it is a state jail felony
if a person transports an individual in a manner that is designed to
conceal the individual from local, state, or federal law enforcement
authorities and creates a substantial likelihood that the individual will
suffer serious bodily injury. 

SECTION 1.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 2.  Emergency clause.