SRC-TAG, TJG S.B. 110 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 110
78R1616 PEP-DBy: Staples
Criminal Justice
4/14/2003
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Current federal law (Title 18, Sect. 4 of the U.S. Code) allows for the
prosecution of an individual who has knowledge of a crime but fails to
report it to a proper authority.   Texas statute, however, lacks a
provision to prosecute an individual who witnesses the commission of a
felony but fails to report the action.  As proposed, S.B. 110 amends the
Penal Code to require an individual to report to a peace or law
enforcement officer the commission of a felony that may have resulted in
serious bodily harm or death. 
       
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to
a state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Chapter 38, Penal Code, by adding Section 38.171, as
follows: 

Sec. 38.171.  FAILURE TO REPORT FELONY.  (a) Provides that a person
commits a misdemeanor offense for failing to report the commission of a
felony in certain instances.  

(b) Provides that an offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor.

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 2003.