By Cuellar H.B. No. 54 76R303 JMC-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the creation of the offense of failing to assist a 1-3 peace officer. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 42, Penal Code, is amended by adding 1-6 Section 42.13 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 42.13. FAILING TO ASSIST PEACE OFFICER. (a) A person 1-8 commits an offense if: 1-9 (1) the actor fails or refuses to assist a peace 1-10 officer who: 1-11 (A) requests the actor's assistance in arresting 1-12 another or in preventing the commission of an offense by another; 1-13 and 1-14 (B) the actor knows or should have known is a 1-15 peace officer; and 1-16 (2) a reasonable person, under the same circumstances 1-17 that existed at the time of the request by the peace officer, would 1-18 have assisted the officer. 1-19 (b) An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor. 1-20 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999. 1-21 SECTION 3. 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 1-24 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-1 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.