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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the punishment for defendants who commit aggravated |
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sexual assault. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 499.054(b), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(b) The department shall establish a sex offender treatment |
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program to treat inmates who are serving sentences for offenses |
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punishable under Section 21.02(h) [or 22.021(f)], Penal Code. The |
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department shall require an inmate described by this subsection to |
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participate in and complete the sex offender treatment program |
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before being released from the department. |
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SECTION 2. Section 508.145(a), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) An inmate under sentence of death, serving a sentence of |
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life imprisonment without parole, serving a sentence for an offense |
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under Section 21.02, Penal Code, or serving a sentence for an |
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offense under Section 22.021, Penal Code, that is punishable under |
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Subsection (e) or (f) of that section is not eligible for release on |
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parole. |
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SECTION 3. Sections 22.021(e) and (f), Penal Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(e) An offense under this section is a felony of the first |
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degree with a [.
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[(f) The] minimum term of imprisonment of [for an offense
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under this section is increased to] 25 years, except as provided by |
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Subsection (f). |
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(f) An offense under this section is a felony of the first |
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degree punishable by imprisonment in the Texas Department of |
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Criminal Justice for life without parole if at the time of the |
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offense the defendant is 17 years of age or older and: |
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(1) the victim of the offense is younger than six years |
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of age [at the time the offense is committed]; or |
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(2) the victim of the offense is younger than 14 years |
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of age [at the time the offense is committed] and the actor commits |
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the offense in a manner described by Subsection (a)(2)(A). |
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SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, |
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and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For |
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purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the |
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effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred |
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before that date. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |