By Reyna of Dallas                                    H.B. No. 2120
         76R2618 JMC-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to mandatory conditions of release on bond for a defendant
 1-3     charged with certain sexual offenses.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Chapter 17, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
 1-6     amended by adding Article 17.47 to read as follows:
 1-7           Art. 17.47.  MANDATORY CONDITIONS FOR A DEFENDANT CHARGED
 1-8     WITH CERTAIN SEXUAL OFFENSES.  (a)  A magistrate shall require as a
 1-9     condition of release on bond that a defendant charged with an
1-10     offense  for which registration as a sex offender is required under
1-11     Chapter 62, as added by Section 1, Chapter 668, Acts of the 75th
1-12     Legislature, Regular Session, 1997, not:
1-13                 (1)  communicate directly or indirectly with the
1-14     victim; or
1-15                 (2)  go to or near a specific location frequented by
1-16     the victim, including the residence, school, place of employment,
1-17     or business of the victim.
1-18           (b)  In prohibiting a defendant from engaging in conduct
1-19     described under Subsection (a)(2), a magistrate shall specifically
1-20     describe the prohibited locations and the minimum distances, if
1-21     any, that the defendant must maintain from the locations.
1-22           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-23           SECTION 3.  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.