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House Bill 1601 |
House Author: Madden |
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Effective: 9-1-05 |
Senate Sponsor: Averitt |
House Bill 1601 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to provide that a qualified telephone interpreter may be used to interpret for the person charged or a witness in a Class C misdemeanor case or a proceeding before a magistrate if an interpreter is not available to appear in person before the court or if the only available interpreter is not considered to possess the interpretive skills needed for the situation. The bill also allows the judge to require as a condition of community supervision that the defendant reimburse the county in which the prosecution was instituted for compensation paid to an interpreter in the case.