HBA-SEP H.B. 141 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 141
By: Wise
Criminal Jurisprudence
4/17/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current law does not provide an increased punishment for the offense of
kidnapping if the actor exposed the abducted person to a risk of serious
bodily injury, abducted a child or an incompetent person, intended to use
the victim to coerce a third person to perform some act, or intended to
hold the person in a condition of involuntary servitude.  Providing an
increase in punishment for these offenses may decrease the occurrence of
such cases.  House Bill 141 provides such an increase.   

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 141 amends the Penal Code to provide that the punishment for the
offense of kidnapping is a second degree felony if the actor exposed the
person abducted to a risk of serious bodily injury.  The bill also provides
that a person commits an offense of aggravated kidnapping if the person
intentionally or knowingly abducts another person: 

 _with the intent to coerce a third person to perform some act;
 
 _with the intent to  hold the person abducted in a condition of
involuntary servitude; or 
 
 _ who is younger than 17 years of age or incompetent.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.