|
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
Relating to decreasing the punishment for certain misdemeanor and |
|
felony offenses. |
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
SECTION 1. Section 481.121, Health and Safety Code, is |
|
amended by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsections (c) and |
|
(d) to read as follows: |
|
(b) An offense under Subsection (a) is: |
|
(1) a Class C misdemeanor if the amount of marihuana |
|
possessed is one ounce or less; |
|
(2) a Class B misdemeanor if the amount of marihuana |
|
possessed is two ounces or less but more than one ounce; |
|
(3) [(2)] a Class A misdemeanor if the amount of |
|
marihuana possessed is four ounces or less but more than two ounces; |
|
(4) [(3)] a state jail felony if the amount of |
|
marihuana possessed is five pounds or less but more than four |
|
ounces; |
|
(5) [(4)] a felony of the third degree if the amount of |
|
marihuana possessed is 50 pounds or less but more than 5 pounds; |
|
(6) [(5)] a felony of the second degree if the amount |
|
of marihuana possessed is 2,000 pounds or less but more than 50 |
|
pounds; and |
|
(7) [(6)] punishable by imprisonment in the Texas |
|
Department of Criminal Justice for life or for a term of not more |
|
than 99 years or less than 5 years, and a fine not to exceed $50,000, |
|
if the amount of marihuana possessed is more than 2,000 pounds. |
|
SECTION 2. Section 15(a)(1), Article 42.12, Code of |
|
Criminal Procedure, is amended to read as follows: |
|
(a)(1) On conviction of a state jail felony under Section |
|
[481.115(b),] 481.1151(b)(1), 481.116(b), 481.1161(b)(3), |
|
481.121(b)(3), or 481.129(g)(1), Health and Safety Code, that is |
|
punished under Section 12.35(a), Penal Code, the judge shall |
|
suspend the imposition of the sentence and place the defendant on |
|
community supervision, unless the defendant has previously been |
|
convicted of a felony, other than a felony punished under Section |
|
12.44(a), Penal Code, or unless the conviction resulted from an |
|
adjudication of the guilt of a defendant previously placed on |
|
deferred adjudication community supervision for the offense, in |
|
which event the judge may suspend the imposition of the sentence and |
|
place the defendant on community supervision or may order the |
|
sentence to be executed. The provisions of this subdivision |
|
requiring the judge to suspend the imposition of the sentence and |
|
place the defendant on community supervision do not apply to a |
|
defendant who: |
|
(A) under Section 481.1151(b)(1), Health and |
|
Safety Code, possessed more than five abuse units of the controlled |
|
substance; |
|
(B) under Section 481.1161(b)(3), Health and |
|
Safety Code, possessed more than one pound, by aggregate weight, |
|
including adulterants or dilutants, of the controlled substance; or |
|
(C) under Section 481.121(b)(3), Health and |
|
Safety Code, possessed more than one pound of marihuana. |
|
SECTION 3. Section 481.115(b), Health and Safety Code, is |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
(b) An offense under Subsection (a) is a Class A misdemeanor |
|
[state jail felony] if the amount of the controlled substance |
|
possessed is, by aggregate weight, including adulterants or |
|
dilutants, less than one gram. |
|
SECTION 4. Section 28.03(b), Penal Code, is amended to read |
|
as follows: |
|
(b) Except as provided by Subsections (f) and (h), an |
|
offense under this section is: |
|
(1) a Class C misdemeanor if: |
|
(A) the amount of pecuniary loss is less than |
|
$500 [$50]; or |
|
(B) except as provided in Subdivision (3)(A) or |
|
(3)(B), it causes substantial inconvenience to others; |
|
(2) a Class B misdemeanor if the amount of pecuniary |
|
loss is $500 [$50] or more but less than $1,500 [$500]; |
|
(3) a Class A misdemeanor if: |
|
(A) the amount of pecuniary loss is $1,500 [$500] |
|
or more but less than $20,000 [$1,500]; or |
|
(B) the actor causes in whole or in part |
|
impairment or interruption of any public water supply, or causes to |
|
be diverted in whole, in part, or in any manner, including |
|
installation or removal of any device for any such purpose, any |
|
public water supply, regardless of the amount of the pecuniary |
|
loss; |
|
(4) a state jail felony if the amount of pecuniary loss |
|
is: |
|
(A) [$1,500 or more but less than $20,000;
|
|
[(B)] less than $20,000 [$1,500], if the property |
|
damaged or destroyed is a habitation and if the damage or |
|
destruction is caused by a firearm or explosive weapon; |
|
(B) [(C)] less than $20,000 [$1,500], if the |
|
property was a fence used for the production or containment of: |
|
(i) cattle, bison, horses, sheep, swine, |
|
goats, exotic livestock, or exotic poultry; or |
|
(ii) game animals as that term is defined by |
|
Section 63.001, Parks and Wildlife Code; or |
|
(C) [(D)] less than $20,000 and the actor causes |
|
wholly or partly impairment or interruption of public |
|
communications, public transportation, public gas or power supply, |
|
or other public service, or causes to be diverted wholly, partly, or |
|
in any manner, including installation or removal of any device for |
|
any such purpose, any public communications or public gas or power |
|
supply; |
|
(5) a felony of the third degree if the amount of the |
|
pecuniary loss is $20,000 or more but less than $100,000; |
|
(6) a felony of the second degree if the amount of |
|
pecuniary loss is $100,000 or more but less than $200,000; or |
|
(7) a felony of the first degree if the amount of |
|
pecuniary loss is $200,000 or more. |
|
SECTION 5. Sections 28.08(b) and (d), Penal Code, are |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
(b) Except as provided by Subsection (d), an offense under |
|
this section is: |
|
(1) a Class C misdemeanor if the amount of pecuniary |
|
loss is less than $100; |
|
(2) a Class B misdemeanor if the amount of pecuniary |
|
loss is $100 or more but less than $750 [$500]; |
|
(3) [(2)] a Class A misdemeanor if the amount of |
|
pecuniary loss is $750 [$500] or more but less than $2,500 [$1,500]; |
|
(4) [(3)] a state jail felony if the amount of |
|
pecuniary loss is $2,500 [$1,500] or more but less than $30,000 |
|
[$20,000]; |
|
(5) [(4)] a felony of the third degree if the amount of |
|
pecuniary loss is $30,000 [$20,000] or more but less than $150,000 |
|
[$100,000]; |
|
(6) [(5)] a felony of the second degree if the amount |
|
of pecuniary loss is $150,000 [$100,000] or more but less than |
|
$300,000 [$200,000]; or |
|
(7) [(6)] a felony of the first degree if the amount of |
|
pecuniary loss is $300,000 [$200,000] or more. |
|
(d) An offense under this section is a state jail felony if: |
|
(1) the marking is made on a school, an institution of |
|
higher education, a place of worship or human burial, a public |
|
monument, or a community center that provides medical, social, or |
|
educational programs; and |
|
(2) the amount of the pecuniary loss to real property |
|
or to tangible personal property is $750 or more but less than |
|
$30,000 [$20,000]. |
|
SECTION 6. Section 30.02(c), Penal Code, is amended to read |
|
as follows: |
|
(c) Except as provided in Subsection (d), an offense under |
|
this section is a: |
|
(1) Class A misdemeanor [state jail felony] if |
|
committed in a building other than a habitation; or |
|
(2) felony of the second degree if committed in a |
|
habitation. |
|
SECTION 7. Section 31.03(e), Penal Code, is amended to read |
|
as follows: |
|
(e) Except as provided by Subsection (f), an offense under |
|
this section is: |
|
(1) a Class C misdemeanor if the value of the property |
|
stolen is less than $500 [:
|
|
[(A) $50; or
|
|
[(B)
$20 and the defendant obtained the
|
|
property by issuing or passing a check or similar sight order in a
|
|
manner described by Section 31.06]; |
|
(2) a Class B misdemeanor if: |
|
(A) the value of the property stolen is $500 [:
|
|
[(i) $50] or more but less than $1,500 |
|
[$500]; [or
|
|
[(ii)
$20 or more but less than $500 and the
|
|
defendant obtained the property by issuing or passing a check or
|
|
similar sight order in a manner described by Section 31.06;] |
|
(B) the value of the property stolen is less than |
|
$500 [:
|
|
[(i) $50] and the defendant has previously |
|
been convicted of any grade of theft; or |
|
[(ii)
$20, the defendant has previously
|
|
been convicted of any grade of theft, and the defendant obtained the
|
|
property by issuing or passing a check or similar sight order in a
|
|
manner described by Section 31.06; or] |
|
(C) the property stolen is a driver's license, |
|
commercial driver's license, or personal identification |
|
certificate issued by this state or another state; |
|
(3) a Class A misdemeanor if the value of the property |
|
stolen is $1,500 [$500] or more but less than $20,000 [$1,500]; |
|
(4) a state jail felony if: |
|
(A) [the value of the property stolen is $1,500
|
|
or more but less than $20,000, or] the property is less than 10 head |
|
of sheep, swine, or goats or any part thereof under the value of |
|
$20,000; |
|
(B) regardless of value, the property is stolen |
|
from the person of another or from a human corpse or grave, |
|
including property that is a military grave marker; |
|
(C) the property stolen is a firearm, as defined |
|
by Section 46.01; |
|
(D) the value of the property stolen is less than |
|
$20,000 [$1,500] and the defendant has been previously convicted |
|
two or more times of any grade of theft; |
|
(E) the property stolen is an official ballot or |
|
official carrier envelope for an election; or |
|
(F) the value of the property stolen is less than |
|
$20,000 and the property stolen is: |
|
(i) aluminum; |
|
(ii) bronze; |
|
(iii) copper; or |
|
(iv) brass; |
|
(5) a felony of the third degree if the value of the |
|
property stolen is $20,000 or more but less than $100,000, or the |
|
property is: |
|
(A) cattle, horses, or exotic livestock or exotic |
|
fowl as defined by Section 142.001, Agriculture Code, stolen during |
|
a single transaction and having an aggregate value of less than |
|
$100,000; or |
|
(B) 10 or more head of sheep, swine, or goats |
|
stolen during a single transaction and having an aggregate value of |
|
less than $100,000; |
|
(6) a felony of the second degree if: |
|
(A) the value of the property stolen is $100,000 |
|
or more but less than $200,000; or |
|
(B) the value of the property stolen is less than |
|
$200,000 and the property stolen is an automated teller machine or |
|
the contents or components of an automated teller machine; or |
|
(7) a felony of the first degree if the value of the |
|
property stolen is $200,000 or more. |
|
SECTION 8. Sections 31.04(b) and (e), Penal Code, are |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
(b) For purposes of this section, intent to avoid payment is |
|
presumed if: |
|
(1) the actor absconded without paying for the service |
|
or expressly refused to pay for the service in circumstances where |
|
payment is ordinarily made immediately upon rendering of the |
|
service, as in hotels, campgrounds, recreational vehicle parks, |
|
restaurants, and comparable establishments; |
|
(2) the actor failed to make payment under a service |
|
agreement within 10 days after receiving notice demanding payment; |
|
(3) the actor returns property held under a rental |
|
agreement after the expiration of the rental agreement and fails to |
|
pay the applicable rental charge for the property within 10 days |
|
after the date on which the actor received notice demanding |
|
payment; or |
|
(4) the actor failed to return the property held under |
|
a rental agreement: |
|
(A) within five days after receiving notice |
|
demanding return, if the property is valued at less than $2,500 |
|
[$1,500]; or |
|
(B) within three days after receiving notice |
|
demanding return, if the property is valued at $2,500 [$1,500] or |
|
more. |
|
(e) An offense under this section is: |
|
(1) a Class C misdemeanor if the value of the service |
|
stolen is less than $100 [$20]; |
|
(2) a Class B misdemeanor if the value of the service |
|
stolen is $100 [$20] or more but less than $750 [$500]; |
|
(3) a Class A misdemeanor if the value of the service |
|
stolen is $750 [$500] or more but less than $2,500 [$1,500]; |
|
(4) a state jail felony if the value of the service |
|
stolen is $2,500 [$1,500] or more but less than $30,000 [$20,000]; |
|
(5) a felony of the third degree if the value of the |
|
service stolen is $30,000 [$20,000] or more but less than $150,000 |
|
[$100,000]; |
|
(6) a felony of the second degree if the value of the |
|
service stolen is $150,000 [$100,000] or more but less than |
|
$300,000 [$200,000]; or |
|
(7) a felony of the first degree if the value of the |
|
service stolen is $300,000 [$200,000] or more. |
|
SECTION 9. Section 32.21(c), Penal Code, is amended to read |
|
as follows: |
|
(c) Except as provided by Subsections [(d),] (e) [,] and |
|
(e-1), an offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor. |
|
SECTION 10. Section 32.31(d), Penal Code, is amended to |
|
read as follows: |
|
(d) An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor |
|
[state jail felony], except that the offense is a felony of the |
|
third degree if it is shown on the trial of the offense that the |
|
offense was committed against an elderly individual as defined by |
|
Section 22.04. |
|
SECTION 11. Section 32.51(c), Penal Code, is amended to |
|
read as follows: |
|
(c) An offense under this section is: |
|
(1) a Class A misdemeanor [state jail felony] if the |
|
number of items obtained, possessed, transferred, or used is less |
|
than five; |
|
(2) a state jail felony [of the third degree] if the |
|
number of items obtained, possessed, transferred, or used is five |
|
or more but less than 10; |
|
(3) a felony of the third [second] degree if the number |
|
of items obtained, possessed, transferred, or used is 10 or more but |
|
less than 50; or |
|
(4) a felony of the second [first] degree if the number |
|
of items obtained, possessed, transferred, or used is 50 or more. |
|
SECTION 12. Section 43.02(c), Penal Code, is amended to |
|
read as follows: |
|
(c) An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor, |
|
except that the offense is: |
|
(1) a Class A misdemeanor if the actor has previously |
|
been convicted [one or two times] of an offense under this section; |
|
or |
|
(2) [a state jail felony if the actor has previously
|
|
been convicted three or more times of an offense under this section;
|
|
or
|
|
[(3)] a felony of the second degree if the person |
|
solicited is younger than 18 years of age, regardless of whether the |
|
actor knows the age of the person solicited at the time the actor |
|
commits the offense. |
|
SECTION 13. Section 502.001(c), Business & Commerce Code, |
|
is amended to read as follows: |
|
(c) A restaurant or bar owner shall display in a prominent |
|
place on the premises of the restaurant or bar a sign stating in |
|
letters at least one-half inch high: "UNDER SECTION 32.51, PENAL |
|
CODE, IT IS A CLASS A MISDEMEANOR [STATE JAIL FELONY] (PUNISHABLE BY |
|
CONFINEMENT IN [A STATE] JAIL FOR NOT MORE THAN ONE YEAR) [TWO
|
|
YEARS)] TO OBTAIN, POSSESS, TRANSFER, OR USE A CUSTOMER'S DEBIT |
|
CARD OR CREDIT CARD NUMBER WITHOUT THE CUSTOMER'S CONSENT." |
|
SECTION 14. Section 32.21(d), Penal Code, is repealed. |
|
SECTION 15. The change in law made by this Act applies to an |
|
offense committed before, on, or after the effective date of this |
|
Act, except that a final conviction that exists on the effective |
|
date of this Act is unaffected by this Act. |
|
SECTION 16. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |