By Chavez                                             H.B. No. 2879
         76R3736 PEP-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to creating an offense for transporting an individual
 1-3     under certain circumstances.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Chapter 20, Penal Code, is amended by adding
 1-6     Section 20.05 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 20.05.  UNLAWFUL TRANSPORT.  (a)  A person commits an
 1-8     offense if the person transports an individual in a manner that:
 1-9                 (1)  is designed to conceal the individual from local,
1-10     state, or federal law enforcement authorities; and
1-11                 (2)  creates a substantial likelihood that the
1-12     individual will suffer serious bodily injury.
1-13           (b)  An offense under this section is a state jail felony.
1-14           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-15           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-16     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-17     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-18     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-19     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.