BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 524

By: Birdwell

Criminal Jurisprudence

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties contend that the punishment for abusing a corpse is not severe enough to fit the nature of the crime. S.B. 524 seeks to increase the penalty for that offense.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill expressly does one or more of the following: creates a criminal offense, increases the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or changes the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 524 amends the Penal Code to increase the penalty for abusing a corpse from a Class A misdemeanor to a state jail felony, with certain exceptions.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.