H.B. 182 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 182 By: Callegari Criminal Jurisprudence Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure provides a statute of limitations for bringing an indictment for felony arson of five years from the date of the commission of the offense. Federal law, however, provides for a 10-year statute of limitations. (See Section 3295 of Title 18, United States Code, which was enacted on April 24, 1996, which provides for a 10 year statute of limitations.) If investigators uncover evidence after the state's five-year statute of limitations, the crime cannot be prosecuted in state court. House Bill 182 makes the state statute of limitations consistent with the federal statute of limitations. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 182 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to increase the statute of limitation for arson offenses from five years to ten. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2003.