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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to prohibiting making, or encouraging or inducing another |
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to make, silent or abusive calls to a 9-1-1 service or public safety |
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answering point; creating a criminal offense. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The heading to Section 42.061, Penal Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 42.061. SILENT OR ABUSIVE CALLS TO 9-1-1 SERVICE OR |
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PUBLIC SAFETY ANSWERING POINT. |
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SECTION 2. Section 42.061, Penal Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (c-1) to read as |
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follows: |
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(b) A person commits an offense if the person makes a call to |
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a 9-1-1 service or PSAP, or requests 9-1-1 service or PSAP |
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assistance using an electronic communications device, when there is |
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not an emergency and knowingly or intentionally: |
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(1) remains silent; or |
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(2) makes abusive or harassing statements to a PSAP |
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employee. |
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(c-1) A person commits an offense if, with intent to harass, |
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annoy, alarm, abuse, torment, or embarrass a PSAP employee or other |
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public servant, the person encourages or induces another to make a |
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call to a 9-1-1 service or PSAP or request 9-1-1 service or PSAP |
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assistance using an electronic communications device. |
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SECTION 3. 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 when the offense was committed, and |
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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 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |