By Dukes, Solis of Cameron, Garcia                     H.B. No. 861
         76R4189 GWK-F                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the creation of the offense of coercing, soliciting, or
 1-3     inducing a child to participate in the activities of a criminal
 1-4     street gang.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1.  Chapter 22, Penal Code, is amended by adding
 1-7     Section 22.015 to read as follows:
 1-8           Sec. 22.015.  COERCING, SOLICITING, OR INDUCING GANG
 1-9     MEMBERSHIP.  (a)  In this section:
1-10                 (1)  "Child" means an individual younger than 17 years
1-11     of age.
1-12                 (2)  "Criminal street gang" has the meaning assigned by
1-13     Section 71.01.
1-14           (b)  A person commits an offense if, with intent to coerce,
1-15     induce, or solicit a child to actively participate in the
1-16     activities of a criminal street gang, the person:
1-17                 (1)  threatens the child with imminent bodily injury;
1-18     or
1-19                 (2)  causes bodily injury to the child.
1-20           (c)  An offense under Subsection (b)(1) is a state jail
1-21     felony.  An offense under Subsection (b)(2) is a felony of the
1-22     third degree.
1-23           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-24           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-1     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-2     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-3     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-4     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.