|
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
relating to the creation of the offense of indecent assault, to |
|
judicial protection for victims of that offense, and to certain |
|
criminal acts committed in relation to that offense. |
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
SECTION 1. Chapter 22, Penal Code, is amended by adding |
|
Section 22.012 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 22.012. INDECENT ASSAULT. (a) A person commits an |
|
offense if, without the other person's consent and with the intent |
|
to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person, the person: |
|
(1) touches, including through clothing, the anus, |
|
breast, or any part of the genitals of another person; |
|
(2) touches another person, including through |
|
clothing, with the anus, breast, or any part of the genitals of any |
|
person; |
|
(3) exposes or attempts to expose another person's |
|
genitals, pubic area, anus, buttocks, or female areola; or |
|
(4) causes another person to contact the blood, |
|
seminal fluid, vaginal fluid, saliva, urine, or feces of any |
|
person, including contact occurring through clothing. |
|
(b) An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor. |
|
(c) If conduct that constitutes an offense under this |
|
section also constitutes an offense under another law, the actor |
|
may be prosecuted under this section, the other law, or both. |
|
SECTION 2. The heading to Chapter 7A, Code of Criminal |
|
Procedure, is amended to read as follows: |
|
CHAPTER 7A. PROTECTIVE ORDER FOR VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT OR |
|
ABUSE, INDECENT ASSAULT, STALKING, OR TRAFFICKING |
|
SECTION 3. Article 7A.01(a), Code of Criminal Procedure, is |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
(a) The following persons may file an application for a |
|
protective order under this chapter without regard to the |
|
relationship between the applicant and the alleged offender: |
|
(1) a person who is the victim of an offense under |
|
Section 21.02, 21.11, 22.011, 22.012, 22.021, or 42.072, Penal |
|
Code; |
|
(2) a person who is the victim of an offense under |
|
Section 20A.02, 20A.03, or 43.05, Penal Code; |
|
(3) a parent or guardian acting on behalf of a person |
|
younger than 17 years of age who is the victim of an offense listed |
|
in Subdivision (1); |
|
(4) a parent or guardian acting on behalf of a person |
|
younger than 18 years of age who is the victim of an offense listed |
|
in Subdivision (2); or |
|
(5) a prosecuting attorney acting on behalf of a |
|
person described by Subdivision (1), (2), (3), or (4). |
|
SECTION 4. Article 7A.02, Code of Criminal Procedure, is |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
Art. 7A.02. TEMPORARY EX PARTE ORDER. If the court finds |
|
from the information contained in an application for a protective |
|
order that there is a clear and present danger of sexual assault or |
|
abuse, indecent assault, stalking, trafficking, or other harm to |
|
the applicant, the court, without further notice to the alleged |
|
offender and without a hearing, may enter a temporary ex parte order |
|
for the protection of the applicant or any other member of the |
|
applicant's family or household. |
|
SECTION 5. Article 7A.03(a), Code of Criminal Procedure, is |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
(a) At the close of a hearing on an application for a |
|
protective order under this chapter, the court shall find whether |
|
there are reasonable grounds to believe that the applicant is the |
|
victim of sexual assault or abuse, indecent assault, stalking, or |
|
trafficking. |
|
SECTION 6. Article 7A.035, Code of Criminal Procedure, is |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
Art. 7A.035. HEARSAY STATEMENT OF CHILD VICTIM. In a |
|
hearing on an application for a protective order under this |
|
chapter, a statement that is made by a child younger than 14 years |
|
of age who is the victim of an offense under Section 21.02, 21.11, |
|
22.011, 22.012, or 22.021, Penal Code, and that describes the |
|
offense committed against the child is admissible as evidence in |
|
the same manner that a child's statement regarding alleged abuse |
|
against the child is admissible under Section 104.006, Family Code, |
|
in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship. |
|
SECTION 7. Articles 17.292(a) and (g), Code of Criminal |
|
Procedure, are amended to read as follows: |
|
(a) At a defendant's appearance before a magistrate after |
|
arrest for an offense involving family violence or an offense under |
|
Section 20A.02, 20A.03, 22.011, 22.012, 22.021, or 42.072, Penal |
|
Code, the magistrate may issue an order for emergency protection on |
|
the magistrate's own motion or on the request of: |
|
(1) the victim of the offense; |
|
(2) the guardian of the victim; |
|
(3) a peace officer; or |
|
(4) the attorney representing the state. |
|
(g) An order for emergency protection issued under this |
|
article must contain the following statements printed in bold-face |
|
type or in capital letters: |
|
"A VIOLATION OF THIS ORDER BY COMMISSION OF AN ACT PROHIBITED |
|
BY THE ORDER MAY BE PUNISHABLE BY A FINE OF AS MUCH AS $4,000 OR BY |
|
CONFINEMENT IN JAIL FOR AS LONG AS ONE YEAR OR BY BOTH. AN ACT THAT |
|
RESULTS IN [FAMILY VIOLENCE OR] A SEPARATE [STALKING OR
|
|
TRAFFICKING] OFFENSE MAY BE PROSECUTED AS A SEPARATE MISDEMEANOR OR |
|
FELONY OFFENSE, AS APPLICABLE, IN ADDITION TO A VIOLATION OF THIS |
|
ORDER. IF THE ACT IS PROSECUTED AS A SEPARATE FELONY OFFENSE, IT IS |
|
PUNISHABLE BY CONFINEMENT IN PRISON FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS. THE |
|
POSSESSION OF A FIREARM BY A PERSON, OTHER THAN A PEACE OFFICER, AS |
|
DEFINED BY SECTION 1.07, PENAL CODE, ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN EMPLOYMENT |
|
AS A SWORN, FULL-TIME PAID EMPLOYEE OF A STATE AGENCY OR POLITICAL |
|
SUBDIVISION, WHO IS SUBJECT TO THIS ORDER MAY BE PROSECUTED AS A |
|
SEPARATE OFFENSE PUNISHABLE BY CONFINEMENT OR IMPRISONMENT. |
|
"NO PERSON, INCLUDING A PERSON WHO IS PROTECTED BY THIS |
|
ORDER, MAY GIVE PERMISSION TO ANYONE TO IGNORE OR VIOLATE ANY |
|
PROVISION OF THIS ORDER. DURING THE TIME IN WHICH THIS ORDER IS |
|
VALID, EVERY PROVISION OF THIS ORDER IS IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT |
|
UNLESS A COURT CHANGES THE ORDER." |
|
SECTION 8. The heading to Article 56.021, Code of Criminal |
|
Procedure, is amended to read as follows: |
|
Art. 56.021. RIGHTS OF VICTIM OF SEXUAL ASSAULT OR ABUSE, |
|
INDECENT ASSAULT, STALKING, OR TRAFFICKING. |
|
SECTION 9. Article 56.021(d), Code of Criminal Procedure, |
|
as added by Chapter 1153 (S.B. 630), Acts of the 84th Legislature, |
|
Regular Session, 2015, is amended to read as follows: |
|
(d) This subsection applies only to a victim of an offense |
|
under Section 20A.02, 20A.03, 21.02, 21.11, 22.011, 22.012, 22.021, |
|
42.072, or 43.05, Penal Code. In addition to the rights enumerated |
|
in Article 56.02 and, if applicable, Subsection (a) of this |
|
article, a victim described by this subsection or a parent or |
|
guardian of the victim is entitled to the following rights within |
|
the criminal justice system: |
|
(1) the right to request that the attorney |
|
representing the state, subject to the Texas Disciplinary Rules of |
|
Professional Conduct, file an application for a protective order |
|
under Article 7A.01 on behalf of the victim; |
|
(2) the right to be informed: |
|
(A) that the victim or the victim's parent or |
|
guardian, as applicable, may file an application for a protective |
|
order under Article 7A.01; |
|
(B) of the court in which the application for a |
|
protective order may be filed; and |
|
(C) that, on request of the victim or of the |
|
victim's parent or guardian, as applicable, and subject to the |
|
Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct, the attorney |
|
representing the state may file the application for a protective |
|
order; |
|
(3) if the victim or the victim's parent or guardian, |
|
as applicable, is present when the defendant is convicted or placed |
|
on deferred adjudication community supervision, the right to be |
|
given by the court the information described by Subdivision (2) |
|
and, if the court has jurisdiction over applications for protective |
|
orders that are filed under Article 7A.01, the right to file an |
|
application for a protective order immediately following the |
|
defendant's conviction or placement on deferred adjudication |
|
community supervision; and |
|
(4) if the victim or the victim's parent or guardian, |
|
as applicable, is not present when the defendant is convicted or |
|
placed on deferred adjudication community supervision, the right to |
|
be given by the attorney representing the state the information |
|
described by Subdivision (2). |
|
SECTION 10. Section 411.042(b), Government Code, as amended |
|
by H.B. 2552 and S.B. 1242, Acts of the 85th Legislature, Regular |
|
Session, 2017, and as effective September 1, 2017, is reenacted and |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
(b) The bureau of identification and records shall: |
|
(1) procure and file for record photographs, pictures, |
|
descriptions, fingerprints, measurements, and other pertinent |
|
information of all persons arrested for or charged with a criminal |
|
offense or convicted of a criminal offense, regardless of whether |
|
the conviction is probated; |
|
(2) collect information concerning the number and |
|
nature of offenses reported or known to have been committed in the |
|
state and the legal steps taken in connection with the offenses, and |
|
other information useful in the study of crime and the |
|
administration of justice, including information that enables the |
|
bureau to create a statistical breakdown of: |
|
(A) offenses in which family violence was |
|
involved; |
|
(B) offenses under Sections 22.011 and 22.021, |
|
Penal Code; and |
|
(C) offenses under Sections 20A.02, 43.02(a), |
|
43.02(b), 43.03, and 43.05, Penal Code; |
|
(3) make ballistic tests of bullets and firearms and |
|
chemical analyses of bloodstains, cloth, materials, and other |
|
substances for law enforcement officers of the state; |
|
(4) cooperate with identification and crime records |
|
bureaus in other states and the United States Department of |
|
Justice; |
|
(5) maintain a list of all previous background checks |
|
for applicants for any position regulated under Chapter 1702, |
|
Occupations Code, who have undergone a criminal history background |
|
check under Section 411.119, if the check indicates a Class B |
|
misdemeanor or equivalent offense or a greater offense; |
|
(6) collect information concerning the number and |
|
nature of protective orders and magistrate's orders of emergency |
|
protection and all other pertinent information about all persons |
|
subject to active orders, including pertinent information about |
|
persons subject to conditions of bond imposed for the protection of |
|
the victim in any family violence, sexual assault or abuse, |
|
indecent assault, stalking, or trafficking case. Information in |
|
the law enforcement information system relating to an active order |
|
shall include: |
|
(A) the name, sex, race, date of birth, personal |
|
descriptors, address, and county of residence of the person to whom |
|
the order is directed; |
|
(B) any known identifying number of the person to |
|
whom the order is directed, including the person's social security |
|
number or driver's license number; |
|
(C) the name and county of residence of the |
|
person protected by the order; |
|
(D) the residence address and place of employment |
|
or business of the person protected by the order, unless that |
|
information is excluded from the order under Article 17.292(e), |
|
Code of Criminal Procedure; |
|
(E) the child-care facility or school where a |
|
child protected by the order normally resides or which the child |
|
normally attends, unless that information is excluded from the |
|
order under Article 17.292(e), Code of Criminal Procedure; |
|
(F) the relationship or former relationship |
|
between the person who is protected by the order and the person to |
|
whom the order is directed; |
|
(G) the conditions of bond imposed on the person |
|
to whom the order is directed, if any, for the protection of a |
|
victim in any family violence, sexual assault or abuse, indecent |
|
assault, stalking, or trafficking case; |
|
(H) any minimum distance the person subject to |
|
the order is required to maintain from the protected places or |
|
persons; and |
|
(I) the date the order expires; |
|
(7) grant access to criminal history record |
|
information in the manner authorized under Subchapter F; |
|
(8) collect and disseminate information regarding |
|
offenders with mental impairments in compliance with Chapter 614, |
|
Health and Safety Code; and |
|
(9) record data and maintain a state database for a |
|
computerized criminal history record system and computerized |
|
juvenile justice information system that serves: |
|
(A) as the record creation point for criminal |
|
history record information and juvenile justice information |
|
maintained by the state; and |
|
(B) as the control terminal for the entry of |
|
records, in accordance with federal law and regulations, federal |
|
executive orders, and federal policy, into the federal database |
|
maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. |
|
SECTION 11. Section 411.042(g), Government Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(g) The department may adopt reasonable rules under this |
|
section relating to: |
|
(1) law enforcement information systems maintained by |
|
the department; |
|
(2) the collection, maintenance, and correction of |
|
records; |
|
(3) reports of criminal history information submitted |
|
to the department; |
|
(4) active protective orders and reporting procedures |
|
that ensure that information relating to the issuance and dismissal |
|
of an active protective order is reported to the local law |
|
enforcement agency at the time of the order's issuance or dismissal |
|
and entered by the local law enforcement agency in the state's law |
|
enforcement information system; |
|
(5) the collection of information described by |
|
Subsection (h); |
|
(6) a system for providing criminal history record |
|
information through the criminal history clearinghouse under |
|
Section 411.0845; and |
|
(7) active conditions of bond imposed on a defendant |
|
for the protection of a victim in any family violence, sexual |
|
assault or abuse, indecent assault, stalking, or trafficking case, |
|
and reporting procedures that ensure that information relating to |
|
the issuance, modification, or removal of the conditions of bond is |
|
reported, at the time of the issuance, modification, or removal, |
|
to: |
|
(A) the victim or, if the victim is deceased, a |
|
close relative of the victim; and |
|
(B) the local law enforcement agency for entry by |
|
the local law enforcement agency in the state's law enforcement |
|
information system. |
|
SECTION 12. (a) This section takes effect only if the |
|
comptroller determines that Sections 14 and 69, H.B. 7, Acts of the |
|
85th Legislature, Regular Session, 2017, took effect as provided by |
|
H.B. 7. |
|
(b) The heading to Section 25.07, Penal Code, as effective |
|
September 1, 2017, is amended to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 25.07. VIOLATION OF CERTAIN COURT ORDERS OR CONDITIONS |
|
OF BOND IN A FAMILY VIOLENCE, CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT, SEXUAL ASSAULT |
|
OR ABUSE, INDECENT ASSAULT, STALKING, OR TRAFFICKING CASE. |
|
(c) Section 25.07(a), Penal Code, as effective September 1, |
|
2017, is amended to read as follows: |
|
(a) A person commits an offense if, in violation of a |
|
condition of bond set in a family violence, sexual assault or abuse, |
|
indecent assault, stalking, or trafficking case and related to the |
|
safety of a victim or the safety of the community, an order issued |
|
under Chapter 7A, Code of Criminal Procedure, an order issued under |
|
Article 17.292, Code of Criminal Procedure, an order issued under |
|
Section 6.504, Family Code, Chapter 83, Family Code, if the |
|
temporary ex parte order has been served on the person, Chapter 85, |
|
Family Code, or Subchapter F, Chapter 261, Family Code, or an order |
|
issued by another jurisdiction as provided by Chapter 88, Family |
|
Code, the person knowingly or intentionally: |
|
(1) commits family violence or an act in furtherance |
|
of an offense under Section 20A.02, 22.011, 22.012, 22.021, or |
|
42.072; |
|
(2) communicates: |
|
(A) directly with a protected individual or a |
|
member of the family or household in a threatening or harassing |
|
manner; |
|
(B) a threat through any person to a protected |
|
individual or a member of the family or household; or |
|
(C) in any manner with the protected individual |
|
or a member of the family or household except through the person's |
|
attorney or a person appointed by the court, if the violation is of |
|
an order described by this subsection and the order prohibits any |
|
communication with a protected individual or a member of the family |
|
or household; |
|
(3) goes to or near any of the following places as |
|
specifically described in the order or condition of bond: |
|
(A) the residence or place of employment or |
|
business of a protected individual or a member of the family or |
|
household; or |
|
(B) any child care facility, residence, or school |
|
where a child protected by the order or condition of bond normally |
|
resides or attends; |
|
(4) possesses a firearm; |
|
(5) harms, threatens, or interferes with the care, |
|
custody, or control of a pet, companion animal, or assistance |
|
animal that is possessed by a person protected by the order or |
|
condition of bond; or |
|
(6) removes, attempts to remove, or otherwise tampers |
|
with the normal functioning of a global positioning monitoring |
|
system. |
|
(d) The heading to Section 25.072, Penal Code, as effective |
|
September 1, 2017, is amended to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 25.072. REPEATED VIOLATION OF CERTAIN COURT ORDERS OR |
|
CONDITIONS OF BOND IN FAMILY VIOLENCE, CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT, |
|
SEXUAL ASSAULT OR ABUSE, INDECENT ASSAULT, STALKING, OR TRAFFICKING |
|
CASE. |
|
(e) Sections 25.07 and 25.072, Penal Code, as amended by |
|
this section, apply 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 when the |
|
offense was committed, and the former law is continued in effect for |
|
that purpose. For purposes of this subsection, an offense was |
|
committed before the effective date of this Act if any element of |
|
the offense occurred before that date. |
|
SECTION 13. (a) This section takes effect only if the |
|
comptroller determines that Sections 14 and 69, H.B. 7, Acts of the |
|
85th Legislature, Regular Session, 2017, did not take effect as |
|
provided by H.B. 7. |
|
(b) The heading to Section 25.07, Penal Code, is amended to |
|
read as follows: |
|
Sec. 25.07. VIOLATION OF CERTAIN COURT ORDERS OR CONDITIONS |
|
OF BOND IN A FAMILY VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT OR ABUSE, INDECENT |
|
ASSAULT, STALKING, OR TRAFFICKING CASE. |
|
(c) Section 25.07(a), Penal Code, is amended to read as |
|
follows: |
|
(a) A person commits an offense if, in violation of a |
|
condition of bond set in a family violence, sexual assault or abuse, |
|
indecent assault, stalking, or trafficking case and related to the |
|
safety of a victim or the safety of the community, an order issued |
|
under Chapter 7A, Code of Criminal Procedure, an order issued under |
|
Article 17.292, Code of Criminal Procedure, an order issued under |
|
Section 6.504, Family Code, Chapter 83, Family Code, if the |
|
temporary ex parte order has been served on the person, or Chapter |
|
85, Family Code, or an order issued by another jurisdiction as |
|
provided by Chapter 88, Family Code, the person knowingly or |
|
intentionally: |
|
(1) commits family violence or an act in furtherance |
|
of an offense under Section 20A.02, 22.011, 22.012, 22.021, or |
|
42.072; |
|
(2) communicates: |
|
(A) directly with a protected individual or a |
|
member of the family or household in a threatening or harassing |
|
manner; |
|
(B) a threat through any person to a protected |
|
individual or a member of the family or household; or |
|
(C) in any manner with the protected individual |
|
or a member of the family or household except through the person's |
|
attorney or a person appointed by the court, if the violation is of |
|
an order described by this subsection and the order prohibits any |
|
communication with a protected individual or a member of the family |
|
or household; |
|
(3) goes to or near any of the following places as |
|
specifically described in the order or condition of bond: |
|
(A) the residence or place of employment or |
|
business of a protected individual or a member of the family or |
|
household; or |
|
(B) any child care facility, residence, or school |
|
where a child protected by the order or condition of bond normally |
|
resides or attends; |
|
(4) possesses a firearm; |
|
(5) harms, threatens, or interferes with the care, |
|
custody, or control of a pet, companion animal, or assistance |
|
animal that is possessed by a person protected by the order or |
|
condition of bond; or |
|
(6) removes, attempts to remove, or otherwise tampers |
|
with the normal functioning of a global positioning monitoring |
|
system. |
|
(d) The heading to Section 25.072, Penal Code, is amended to |
|
read as follows: |
|
Sec. 25.072. REPEATED VIOLATION OF CERTAIN COURT ORDERS OR |
|
CONDITIONS OF BOND IN FAMILY VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT OR ABUSE, |
|
INDECENT ASSAULT, STALKING, OR TRAFFICKING CASE. |
|
(e) Sections 25.07 and 25.072, Penal Code, as amended by |
|
this section, apply 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 when the |
|
offense was committed, and the former law is continued in effect for |
|
that purpose. For purposes of this subsection, an offense was |
|
committed before the effective date of this Act if any element of |
|
the offense occurred before that date. |
|
SECTION 14. Section 25.07(b), Penal Code, is amended by |
|
adding Subdivision (8) to read as follows: |
|
(8) "Indecent assault" means any conduct that |
|
constitutes an offense under Section 22.012. |
|
SECTION 15. Chapter 7A, Code of Criminal Procedure, as |
|
amended by this Act, and Article 17.292, Code of Criminal |
|
Procedure, as amended by this Act, apply only to a protective order |
|
or magistrate's order for emergency protection that is issued on or |
|
after the effective date of this Act. An order issued before the |
|
effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the |
|
date the order is issued, and the former law is continued in effect |
|
for that purpose. |
|
SECTION 16. Article 56.021(d), Code of Criminal Procedure, |
|
as amended by this Act, applies to a victim of criminally injurious |
|
conduct for which a judgment of conviction is entered or a grant of |
|
deferred adjudication is made on or after the effective date of this |
|
Act, regardless of whether the criminally injurious conduct |
|
occurred before, on, or after the effective date of this Act. |
|
SECTION 17. Not later than the 30th day after the effective |
|
date of this section, the comptroller shall make the determination |
|
described by Sections 12(a) and 13(a) of this Act. |
|
SECTION 18. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of |
|
this section, this Act takes effect January 1, 2018. |
|
(b) Section 17 of this Act takes effect immediately if this |
|
Act receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each |
|
house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. |
|
If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate |
|
effect, Section 17 of this Act takes effect on the 91st day after |
|
the last day of the legislative session. |