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House Bill 634 |
House Author: Metcalf et al. |
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Effective: 9-1-15 |
Senate Sponsor: Creighton et al. |
House Bill 634 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure and Government Code to authorize the court-appointed guardian of an incapacitated person subject to arraignment who provides a court with letters of guardianship for the defendant to provide information relevant to the determination of indigency and request that counsel be appointed. The visitation policies for persons confined in facilities operated by either the institutional division or state jail division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice are required to allow visitation by such a guardian of an inmate or defendant, as applicable, to the same extent as the inmate's or defendant's next of kin and to require the guardian to provide the warden or facility director, as applicable, with letters of guardianship before being allowed to visit. The Commission on Jail Standards is required to adopt reasonable rules and procedures regarding visitation of a prisoner at a county jail by a guardian that allow visitation by such a guardian to the same extent as the prisoner's next of kin and require the guardian to provide the sheriff with letters of guardianship before being allowed to visit.