HBA-SEP H.B. 2568 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2568 By: Hinojosa Criminal Jurisprudence 3/19/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Current law provides that it is a third degree felony if a convicted felon possesses a firearm in the five years after the felon's release, but does not provide a penalty for a convicted felon who has been placed on deferred adjudication and possesses a firearm. Some believe that all felons should be prohibited from possessing firearms. House Bill 2568 provides that it is a third degree felony if a person has been placed on deferred adjudication community supervision for a felony and possesses a firearm after the placement and before the fifth anniversary of the date on which the proceedings are dismissed and the person is discharged. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 2568 amends the Penal Code to provide that it is a third degree felony if a person has been placed on deferred adjudication community supervision for a felony and possesses a firearm after the placement and before the fifth anniversary of the date on which the proceedings are dismissed and the person is discharged. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.