By Keel                                                H.B. No. 122
         76R2006 GWK-F                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the authority of a peace officer to make a warrantless
 1-3     arrest.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Article 14.04, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
 1-6     amended to read as follows:
 1-7           Art. 14.04.  WHEN A FELONY HAS BEEN COMMITTED.  If [Where it
 1-8     is shown by satisfactory proof to] a peace officer has probable
 1-9     cause to believe[, upon the representation of a credible person,]
1-10     that a felony has been committed by an[, and that the] offender and
1-11     that exigent circumstances exist [is about to escape], the [so that
1-12     there is no time to procure a warrant, such] peace officer may[,]
1-13     without a warrant[, pursue and] arrest the offender [accused].
1-14           SECTION 2.  (a)  The change in law made by this Act applies
1-15     only to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this
1-16     Act.  For purposes of this section, an offense is committed before
1-17     the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurs
1-18     before the effective date.
1-19           (b)  An offense committed before the effective date of this
1-20     Act is covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed,
1-21     and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
1-22           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-23           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-24     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-1     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-2     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-3     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.