By Ellis                                               H.B. No. 355
         77R2394 ATP-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the authority of a court to order a defendant required
 1-3     to make restitution to pay interest on the restitution.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Article 42.037, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
 1-6     amended by adding Subsection (o) to read as follows:
 1-7           (o)  The court, in addition to requiring a  defendant to make
 1-8     restitution to a victim under this article, may order the defendant
 1-9     to pay to the victim interest on the restitution. The interest
1-10     accrues during the period beginning on the date the order of
1-11     restitution is issued and ending on the date the full amount of
1-12     restitution is paid, at the same rate as is provided for the
1-13     accrual of postjudgment interest in civil cases.
1-14           SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only to
1-15     an order of restitution issued on or after the effective date of
1-16     this Act.
1-17           SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.