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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of the criminal offense of predatory |
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theft. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 31, Penal Code, is amended by adding |
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Section 31.20 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 31.20. PREDATORY THEFT. (a) In this section, "follow" |
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means any conduct that tends to show that a person pursued another, |
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including waiting for the person, tracking or trailing the person, |
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and maintaining visual contact with the person. |
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(b) A person commits an offense if, with the intent to |
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commit an offense under Section 29.02, 29.03, 30.04, or 31.03, the |
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person: |
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(1) follows another person; and |
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(2) engages in conduct constituting an offense under |
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Section 31.03 against the person followed. |
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(c) An offense under this section is a felony of the third |
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degree. |
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(d) If conduct that constitutes an offense under this |
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section also constitutes an offense under other law, the actor may |
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be prosecuted under this section, the other law, or both. |
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SECTION 2. 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 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |