1-1     By:  Allen (Senate Sponsor - Armbrister)              H.B. No. 3249
 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 permitting local prosecutors to accept federal funds
 1-9     for the purpose of defraying a portion of the cost of prosecution.
1-10           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-11           SECTION 1.  Section 41.004, Government Code, is amended to
1-12     read as follows:
1-13           Sec. 41.004.  Acceptance of Reward.  (a)  A district or
1-14     county attorney, either before or after the case is tried and
1-15     finally determined, may not take from any person a fee, article of
1-16     value, compensation, reward, or gift, or a promise of any of these,
1-17     to prosecute a case that he is required by law to prosecute or as
1-18     consideration or a testimonial for his services in a case that he
1-19     is required by law to prosecute.
1-20           (b)  Section 41.004(a) does not apply to funds provided by
1-21     the government of the United States through the Texas Department of
1-22     Human Services to local prosecutorial offices for the purpose of
1-23     assisting to defray the costs of prosecutions.
1-24           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-25           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-26     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-27     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-28     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-29     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
1-30     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
1-31     passage, and it is so enacted.
1-32                                  * * * * *