By Nelson                                               S.B. No. 23
         76R1933 GWK-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the duration of certain emergency protection orders
 1-3     issued by magistrates.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Article 17.292(i), Code of Criminal Procedure, is
 1-6     amended to read as follows:
 1-7           (i)  An order for emergency protection issued under this
 1-8     article is effective on issuance, and the defendant shall be served
 1-9     a copy of the order in open court.  An order for emergency
1-10     protection issued under this article remains in effect until the
1-11     61st [31st] day after the date of issuance.
1-12           SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
1-13     to the duration of an order for emergency protection issued on or
1-14     after the effective date of this Act.  The duration of an order for
1-15     emergency protection issued before the effective date of this Act
1-16     is covered by the law in effect when the order was issued, and the
1-17     former law is continued in effect for this purpose.    
1-18           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-19           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-20     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-21     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-22     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-23     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.