Enrolled Bill Summary

House Bill 601	House Author:  Price et al.
Effective:  9-1-19	Senate Sponsor:  Zaffirini

            House Bill 601 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure, Government Code, and Health and Safety Code to provide for the interview of a defendant in custody who is suspected of having a mental illness or intellectual disability for purposes of identifying whether the defendant has such an illness or disability. The bill provides for the written report of such an interview and requires the Texas Correctional Office on Offenders with Medical or Mental Impairments to approve a standard form for purposes of providing such a report. The bill requires a county that transfers a defendant to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to deliver a copy of any information regarding the mental health of the defendant and any such report. The bill requires the Texas Judicial Council to adopt rules requiring the reporting of the number of such reports and the submission of the written reports to the Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System.