1-1 By: Allen, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Shapiro) H.B. No. 635 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 5, 1999; 1-3 May 6, 1999, read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal 1-4 Justice; May 14, 1999, reported favorably by the following vote: 1-5 Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 14, 1999, sent to printer.) 1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-7 AN ACT 1-8 relating to the offense of taking or attempting to take a weapon 1-9 from a peace officer, parole officer, or community supervision and 1-10 corrections department officer. 1-11 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-12 SECTION 1. Section 38.14, Penal Code, is amended to read as 1-13 follows: 1-14 Sec. 38.14. TAKING OR ATTEMPTING TO TAKE WEAPON FROM PEACE 1-15 OFFICER, PAROLE OFFICER, OR COMMUNITY SUPERVISION AND CORRECTIONS 1-16 DEPARTMENT OFFICER. (a) In this section, "firearm" has the 1-17 meanings assigned by Section 46.01. 1-18 (b) A person commits an offense if the person intentionally 1-19 or knowingly and with force takes or attempts to take from a peace 1-20 officer, parole officer, or community supervision and corrections 1-21 department officer the officer's firearm, nightstick, or personal 1-22 protection chemical dispensing device with the intention of harming 1-23 the officer or a third person. 1-24 (c) The actor is presumed to have known that the peace 1-25 officer, parole officer, or community supervision and corrections 1-26 department officer was a peace officer, parole officer, or 1-27 community supervision and corrections department officer if the 1-28 officer was wearing a distinctive uniform or badge indicating his 1-29 employment, or if the officer identified himself as a peace 1-30 officer, parole officer, or community supervision and corrections 1-31 department officer. 1-32 (d) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that 1-33 the defendant took or attempted to take the weapon from a peace 1-34 officer, parole officer, or community supervision and corrections 1-35 department officer who was using force against the defendant or 1-36 another in excess of the amount of force permitted by law. 1-37 (e) An offense under this section is a state jail felony. 1-38 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999. 1-39 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 1-40 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-41 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-42 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-43 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended. 1-44 * * * * *