Bill Text: TX HB319 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the extent of a defendant's criminal responsibility for the conduct of a coconspirator in certain felony cases.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-04-09 - Left pending in committee [HB319 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-HB319-Introduced.html
83R914 AED-D | ||
By: Dutton | H.B. No. 319 |
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relating to the extent of a defendant's criminal responsibility for | ||
the conduct of a coconspirator in certain felony cases. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 1, Article 37.071, Code of Criminal | ||
Procedure, is amended to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 1. (a) If a defendant is found guilty in a capital | ||
felony case in which the state does not seek the death penalty, the | ||
judge shall sentence the defendant to life imprisonment without | ||
parole. | ||
(b) A defendant who is found guilty in a capital felony case | ||
only as a party under Section 7.02(b), Penal Code, may not be | ||
sentenced to death, and the state may not seek the death penalty in | ||
any case in which the defendant's liability is based solely on that | ||
subsection. | ||
SECTION 2. Section 2, Article 37.0711, Code of Criminal | ||
Procedure, is amended to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 2. (a) If a defendant is found guilty in a case in | ||
which the state does not seek the death penalty, the judge shall | ||
sentence the defendant to life imprisonment. | ||
(b) A defendant who is found guilty in a capital felony case | ||
only as a party under Section 7.02(b), Penal Code, may not be | ||
sentenced to death, and the state may not seek the death penalty in | ||
any case in which the defendant's liability is based solely on that | ||
subsection. | ||
SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies to a | ||
criminal proceeding that commences on or after the effective date | ||
of this Act. A criminal proceeding that commences before the | ||
effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect when the | ||
proceeding commenced, and the former law is continued in effect for | ||
that purpose. | ||
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |