HBA-JLV, KDB H.B. 738 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 738
By: Noriega
Criminal Jurisprudence
4/5/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current law does not provide a statute of limitations for crimes which
result in the death of an individual, such as murder and manslaughter.  The
crime of vehicular homicide, however, carries a three-year statute of
limitations.  Removing this statute of limitations on incidents when a
death results from a "hit and run" accident or when a driver fails to stop
and render aid after striking and killing another individual with the car,
would make the statute for prosecution of vehicular homicide consistent
with other crimes of homicide. House Bill 738 provides that there is no
statute of limitations on a felony indictment for leaving the scene of an
accident, if the accident resulted in the death of a person. 

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 738 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to provide that there
is no statute of limitations on a felony indictment for leaving the scene
of an accident, if the accident resulted in the death of a person. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.