Bill Text: TX HB3278 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to the creation of the criminal offense of predatory theft.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-03-13 - Referred to Criminal Jurisprudence [HB3278 Detail]

Download: Texas-2019-HB3278-Introduced.html

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86R13395 ADM-F
By: Wu H.B. No. 3278

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