81R23523 PEP-D
 
  By: McReynolds H.B. No. 4058
 
  Substitute the following for H.B. No. 4058:
 
  By:  McReynolds C.S.H.B. No. 4058
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to creating an offense for persons imprisoned or confined
  in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to use the mail to harm
  or threaten to harm certain other persons.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 36, Penal Code, is amended by adding
  Section 36.061 to read as follows:
         Sec. 36.061.  UNLAWFUL USE OF MAIL BY PERSONS IN CERTAIN
  CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES. (a)  A person commits an offense if the
  person, while imprisoned or confined in a correctional facility
  operated by or under contract with the Texas Department of Criminal
  Justice, intentionally or knowingly uses the United States mail to
  harm or threaten to harm another by an unlawful act on account of
  the service or status of another as a:
               (1)  public servant, witness, prospective witness, or
  informant; or
               (2)  person who has reported or who the actor knows
  intends to report the occurrence of a crime.
         (b)  In this section, "informant" has the meaning assigned by
  Section 36.06.
         (c)  An offense under this section is a felony of the third
  degree, unless the victim of the offense was harmed or threatened
  because of the victim's service or status as a juror, in which event
  the offense is a felony of the second degree.
         (d)  It is not a defense to prosecution under this section
  that the actor did not have any previous contact with the other
  person.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.