S.B. No. 554

AN ACT

relating to conduct constituting the offense of dog fighting and to the criminal and civil consequences of committing that offense.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subsections (a), (b), and (e), Section 42.10, Penal Code, are amended to read as follows:

(a) A person commits an offense if the person [he] intentionally or knowingly:

(1) causes a dog to fight with another dog;

(2) participates in the earnings of or operates a facility used for dog fighting;

(3) uses or permits another to use any real estate, building, room, tent, arena, or other property for dog fighting;

(4) owns or possesses dog-fighting equipment with the intent that the equipment be used to train a dog for dog fighting or in furtherance of dog fighting;

(5) owns or trains a dog with the intent that the dog be used in an exhibition of dog fighting; or

(6) [(5)] attends as a spectator an exhibition of dog fighting.

(b) In this section:

(1) "Dog[, "dog] fighting" means any situation in which one dog attacks or fights with another dog.

(2) "Dog-fighting equipment" has the meaning assigned by Article 18.18(g), Code of Criminal Procedure.

(e) An offense under Subsection (a)(4), [or] (5), or (6) is a Class A misdemeanor. An offense under Subsection (a)(1), (2), or (3) is a state jail felony.

SECTION 2. Subsection (a), Section 71.02, Penal Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) A person commits an offense if, with the intent to establish, maintain, or participate in a combination or in the profits of a combination or as a member of a criminal street gang, he commits or conspires to commit one or more of the following:

(1) murder, capital murder, arson, aggravated robbery, robbery, burglary, theft, aggravated kidnapping, kidnapping, aggravated assault, aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault, forgery, deadly conduct, assault punishable as a Class A misdemeanor, burglary of a motor vehicle, or unauthorized use of a motor vehicle;

(2) any gambling offense punishable as a Class A misdemeanor;

(3) promotion of prostitution, aggravated promotion of prostitution, or compelling prostitution;

(4) unlawful manufacture, transportation, repair, or sale of firearms or prohibited weapons;

(5) unlawful manufacture, delivery, dispensation, or distribution of a controlled substance or dangerous drug, or unlawful possession of a controlled substance or dangerous drug through forgery, fraud, misrepresentation, or deception;

(6) any unlawful wholesale promotion or possession of any obscene material or obscene device with the intent to wholesale promote the same;

(7) any offense under Subchapter B, Chapter 43, depicting or involving conduct by or directed toward a child younger than 18 years of age;

(8) any felony offense under Chapter 32;

(9) any offense under Chapter 36;

(10) any offense under Chapter 34 or 35;

(11) any offense under Section 37.11(a);

(12) any offense under Chapter 20A; [or]

(13) any offense under Section 37.10; or

(14) any offense under Section 42.10.

SECTION 3. Subdivision (2), Article 59.01, Code of Criminal Procedure, as amended by Chapters 127 (S.B. 1694), 822 (H.B. 73), and 885 (H.B. 2278), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, is reenacted and amended to read as follows:

(2) "Contraband" means property of any nature, including real, personal, tangible, or intangible, that is:

(A) used in the commission of:

(i) any first or second degree felony under the Penal Code;

(ii) any felony under Section 15.031(b), 20.05, 21.11, 38.04, Subchapter B of Chapter 43, or Chapter 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 33A, or 35, Penal Code;

(iii) any felony under The Securities Act (Article 581-1 et seq., Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes); or

(iv) any offense under Chapter 49, Penal Code, that is punishable as a felony of the third degree or state jail felony, if the defendant has been previously convicted three times of an offense under that chapter;

(B) used or intended to be used in the commission of:

(i) any felony under Chapter 481, Health and Safety Code (Texas Controlled Substances Act);

(ii) any felony under Chapter 483, Health and Safety Code;

(iii) a felony under Chapter 153, Finance Code;

(iv) any felony under Chapter 34, Penal Code;

(v) a Class A misdemeanor under Subchapter B, Chapter 365, Health and Safety Code, if the defendant has been previously convicted twice of an offense under that subchapter;

(vi) any felony under Chapter 152, Finance Code;

(vii) any felony under Chapter 32, Human Resources Code, or Chapter 31, 32, 35A, or 37, Penal Code, that involves the state Medicaid program;

(viii) a Class B misdemeanor under Chapter 522, Business & Commerce Code; [or]

(ix) a Class A misdemeanor under Section 35.153, Business & Commerce Code; or

(x) any offense under Section 42.10, Penal Code;

(C) the proceeds gained from the commission of a felony listed in Paragraph (A) or (B) of this subdivision, a misdemeanor listed in Paragraph (B)(viii) or (x) of this subdivision, or a crime of violence;

(D) acquired with proceeds gained from the commission of a felony listed in Paragraph (A) or (B) of this subdivision, a misdemeanor listed in Paragraph (B)(viii) or (x) of this subdivision, or a crime of violence; or

(E) used to facilitate or intended to be used to facilitate the commission of a felony under Section 15.031 or 43.25, Penal Code.

SECTION 4. Chapter 59, Code of Criminal Procedure, is amended by adding Article 59.011 to read as follows:

Art. 59.011. If property described by Article 59.01(2)(B)(x) is subject to forfeiture under this chapter and Article 18.18, the attorney representing the state may proceed under either provision.

SECTION 5. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act or to the forfeiture of property used in the commission of that offense. An offense committed before the effective date of this Act, or the forfeiture of property used in the commission of that offense, is governed by the law in effect when the offense was committed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred before that date.

SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.

______________________________ ______________________________

President of the Senate Speaker of the House

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 554 passed the Senate on April 2, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

______________________________ Secretary of the Senate

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 554 passed the House on May 20, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 135, Nays 0, one present not voting.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House

Approved:

______________________________

Date

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Governor