Enrolled Bill Summary

House Bill 1516 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to require the convicting court, rather than the court of criminal appeals, to appoint and pay counsel to represent an indigent death row inmate in a writ of habeas corpus application filed in a state court. The act requires the state to reimburse a county up to $25,000 for the compensation of counsel and for reasonable expenses and provides that compensation and expenses in excess of $25,000 are the obligation of the county. It amends the procedures relating to seeking an extension to file a writ of habeas corpus, untimely filing, and failing to file an application.