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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the prosecution of and punishment for the offense of |
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criminal mischief involving the death of a head of cattle or bison |
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or a horse. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 28.03, Penal Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (k) to read as |
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follows: |
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(b) Except as provided by Subsections (f) and (h), an |
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offense under this section is: |
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(1) a Class C misdemeanor if: |
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(A) the amount of pecuniary loss is less than |
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$100; or |
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(B) except as provided in Subdivision (3)(A) or |
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(3)(B), it causes substantial inconvenience to others; |
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(2) a Class B misdemeanor if the amount of pecuniary |
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loss is $100 or more but less than $750; |
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(3) a Class A misdemeanor if: |
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(A) the amount of pecuniary loss is $750 or more |
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but less than $2,500; or |
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(B) the actor causes in whole or in part |
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impairment or interruption of any public water supply, or causes to |
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be diverted in whole, in part, or in any manner, including |
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installation or removal of any device for any such purpose, any |
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public water supply, regardless of the amount of the pecuniary |
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loss; |
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(4) a state jail felony if the amount of pecuniary loss |
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is: |
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(A) $2,500 or more but less than $30,000; |
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(B) less than $2,500, if the property damaged or |
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destroyed is a habitation and if the damage or destruction is caused |
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by a firearm or explosive weapon; |
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(C) less than $2,500, if the property was a fence |
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used for the production or containment of: |
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(i) cattle, bison, horses, sheep, swine, |
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goats, exotic livestock, or exotic poultry; or |
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(ii) game animals as that term is defined by |
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Section 63.001, Parks and Wildlife Code; or |
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(D) less than $30,000 and the actor causes wholly |
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or partly impairment or interruption of public communications, |
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public transportation, public gas or power supply, or other public |
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service, or causes to be diverted wholly, partly, or in any manner, |
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including installation or removal of any device for any such |
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purpose, any public communications or public gas or power supply; |
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(5) a felony of the third degree if: |
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(A) the amount of the pecuniary loss is $30,000 |
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or more but less than $150,000; or |
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(B) the actor, by discharging a firearm or other |
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weapon or by any other means, causes the death of one or more head of |
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cattle or bison or one or more horses; |
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(6) a felony of the second degree if the amount of |
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pecuniary loss is $150,000 or more but less than $300,000; or |
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(7) a felony of the first degree if the amount of |
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pecuniary loss is $300,000 or more. |
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(k) Subsection (a)(1) or (2) does not apply if the tangible |
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personal property of the owner was a head of cattle or bison killed, |
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or a horse killed, in the course of the actor's: |
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(1) actual discharge of official duties as a member of |
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the United States armed forces or the state military forces as |
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defined by Section 437.001, Government Code; or |
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(2) regular agricultural labor duties and practices. |
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SECTION 2. 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 on the date the offense was committed, |
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and 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 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |