By: Schwertner S.B. No. 821
 
  (Pitts)
 
   
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the prosecution of certain criminal offenses involving
  theft or involving fraud or other deceptive practices.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  The heading to Section 31.06, Penal Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 31.06.  PRESUMPTION FOR THEFT BY CHECK OR SIMILAR SIGHT
  ORDER.
         SECTION 2.  Subsection (a), Section 31.06, Penal Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  If the actor obtained property or secured performance of
  service by issuing or passing a check or similar sight order for the
  payment of money, when the issuer did not have sufficient funds in
  or on deposit with the bank or other drawee for the payment in full
  of the check or order as well as all other checks or orders then
  outstanding, it is prima facie evidence of the issuer's [his]
  intent to deprive the owner of property under Section 31.03 (Theft)
  including a drawee or third-party holder in due course who
  negotiated the check or order or to avoid payment for service under
  Section 31.04 (Theft of Service) (except in the case of a postdated
  check or order) if:
               (1)  the issuer [he] had no account with the bank or
  other drawee at the time the issuer [he] issued the check or sight
  order; or
               (2)  payment was refused by the bank or other drawee for
  lack of funds or insufficient funds, on presentation within 30 days
  after issue, and the issuer failed to pay the holder in full within
  10 days after receiving notice of that refusal.
         SECTION 3.  The heading to Section 32.41, Penal Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 32.41.  ISSUANCE OF BAD CHECK OR SIMILAR SIGHT ORDER.
         SECTION 4.  Subsection (e), Section 32.41, Penal Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (e)  A person charged with an offense under this section may
  make restitution for the bad checks or sight orders.  Restitution
  shall be made through the prosecutor's office if collection and
  processing were initiated through that office.  In other cases
  restitution may be, with the approval of the court in which the
  offense is filed:
               (1)  made through the court; or
               (2)  collected by a law enforcement agency if a peace
  officer of that agency executes a warrant against the person
  charged with the offense.
         SECTION 5.  Subdivision (1), Subsection (a), Section 32.45,
  Penal Code, is amended to read as follows:
               (1)  "Fiduciary" includes:
                     (A)  a trustee, guardian, administrator,
  executor, conservator, and receiver;
                     (B)  an attorney in fact or agent appointed under
  a durable power of attorney as provided by Chapter XII, Texas
  Probate Code;
                     (C)  any other person acting in a fiduciary
  capacity, but not a commercial bailee unless the commercial bailee
  is a party in a motor fuel sales agreement with a distributor or
  supplier, as those terms are defined by Section 162.001 [153.001],
  Tax Code; and
                     (D)  an officer, manager, employee, or agent
  carrying on fiduciary functions on behalf of a fiduciary.
         SECTION 6.  Subsection (a), Section 3.507, Business &
  Commerce Code, is amended to read as follows:
         (a)  On return of a check or similar sight order, as defined
  by Section 1.07, Penal Code, to the holder following dishonor of the
  check or sight order by a payor and prior to the check or sight order
  being referred for prosecution, the holder, the holder's assignee,
  agent, or representative, or any other person retained by the
  holder to seek collection of the dishonored check or sight order may
  charge the drawer or indorser of the check or sight order the cost
  of delivery notification by registered or certified mail with
  return receipt requested under Section 31.06 or Section 32.41,
  Penal Code, as applicable.
         SECTION 7.  The heading to Article 102.007, Code of Criminal
  Procedure, is amended to read as follows:
         Art. 102.007.  FEE FOR COLLECTING AND PROCESSING CHECK OR
  SIMILAR SIGHT ORDER.
         SECTION 8.  Subsections (a) and (e), Article 102.007, Code
  of Criminal Procedure, are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  A county attorney, district attorney, or criminal
  district attorney may collect a fee if the attorney's [his] office
  collects and processes a check or similar sight order, as defined by
  Section 1.07, Penal Code, if the check or similar sight order:
               (1)  has been issued or passed in a manner that makes
  the issuance or passing an offense under:
                     (A)  Section 31.03, Penal Code;
                     (B)  Section 31.04, Penal Code; or
                     (C)  Section 32.41, Penal Code; or
               (2)  has been forged, as defined by Section 32.21,
  Penal Code.
         (e)  In addition to the collection fee specified in
  Subsection (c) [of this article], the county attorney, district
  attorney, or criminal district attorney may collect the fee
  authorized by Section 3.506, Business & Commerce Code, for the
  benefit of the holder of a check or similar sight order or the
  holder's [its] assignee, agent, representative, or any other person
  retained by the holder to seek collection of the check or order.
         SECTION 9.  Article 102.0071, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Art. 102.0071.  JUSTICE COURT DISHONORED CHECK OR SIMILAR
  SIGHT ORDER. On conviction in justice court of an offense under
  Section 32.41, Penal Code, or an offense under Section 31.03 or
  31.04, Penal Code, in which it is shown that the defendant committed
  the offense by issuing or passing a check or similar sight order, as
  defined by Section 1.07, Penal Code, that was subsequently
  dishonored, the court may collect from the defendant and pay to the
  holder of the check or order the fee permitted by Section 3.506,
  Business & Commerce Code.
         SECTION 10.  Sections 102.101 and 102.102, Government Code,
  are amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 102.101.  ADDITIONAL COURT COSTS ON CONVICTION IN
  JUSTICE COURT:  CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE.  A clerk of a justice
  court shall collect fees and costs under the Code of Criminal
  Procedure on conviction of a defendant as follows:
               (1)  a jury fee (Art. 102.004, Code of Criminal
  Procedure) . . . $3;
               (2)  a fee for withdrawing request for jury less than 24
  hours before time of trial (Art. 102.004, Code of Criminal
  Procedure) . . . $3;
               (3)  a jury fee for two or more defendants tried jointly
  (Art. 102.004, Code of Criminal Procedure) . . . one jury fee of $3;
               (4)  a security fee on a misdemeanor offense (Art.
  102.017, Code of Criminal Procedure) . . . $4;
               (5)  a fee for technology fund on a misdemeanor offense
  (Art. 102.0173, Code of Criminal Procedure) . . . $4;
               (6)  a juvenile case manager fee (Art. 102.0174, Code
  of Criminal Procedure) . . . not to exceed $5 if the court employs a
  juvenile case manager;
               (7)  a fee on conviction of certain offenses involving
  issuing or passing a subsequently dishonored check or similar sight
  order (Art. 102.0071, Code of Criminal Procedure) . . . not to
  exceed $30;
               (8)  a court cost on conviction of a Class C misdemeanor
  in a county with a population of 3.3 million or more, if authorized
  by the county commissioners court (Art. 102.009, Code of Criminal
  Procedure) . . . not to exceed $7; and
               (9)  a civil justice fee (Art. 102.022, Code of
  Criminal Procedure) . . . $0.10.
         Sec. 102.102.  ADDITIONAL COURT COSTS ON CONVICTION IN
  JUSTICE COURT:  BUSINESS & COMMERCE CODE. The clerk of a justice
  court shall collect from a defendant a court cost not to exceed $30
  under Section 3.506, Business & Commerce Code, on conviction of
  certain offenses involving issuing or passing a subsequently
  dishonored check or similar sight order.
         SECTION 11.  The heading to Section 162.409, Tax Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 162.409.  ISSUANCE OF BAD CHECK OR SIMILAR SIGHT ORDER
  TO LICENSED DISTRIBUTOR, LICENSED SUPPLIER, OR PERMISSIVE
  SUPPLIER.
         SECTION 12.  Subsections (a) and (d), Section 162.409, Tax
  Code, are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  A person commits an offense if:
               (1)  the person issues or passes a check or similar
  sight order, as defined by Section 1.07, Penal Code, for the payment
  of money knowing that the issuer does not have sufficient funds in
  or on deposit with the bank or other drawee for the payment in full
  of the check or order as well as all other checks or orders
  outstanding at the time of issuance;
               (2)  the payee on the check or order is a licensed
  distributor, licensed supplier, or permissive supplier; and
               (3)  the payment is for an obligation or debt that
  includes a tax under this chapter to be collected by the licensed
  distributor, licensed supplier, or permissive supplier.
         (d)  A person who makes payment on an obligation or debt that
  includes a tax under this chapter and pays with an insufficient
  funds check or similar sight order, as defined by Section 1.07,
  Penal Code, issued to a licensed distributor, licensed supplier, or
  permissive supplier may be held liable for a penalty equal to the
  total amount of tax not paid to the licensed distributor, licensed
  supplier, or permissive supplier.
         SECTION 13.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
  to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act.
  An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is
  governed by the law in effect on the date 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 14.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.