By Park H.B. No. 308 74R2336 GWK-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the waiver of trial by jury by a defendant charged with 1-3 an offense punishable by fine only. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Article 1.13(c), Code of Criminal Procedure, is 1-6 amended to read as follows: 1-7 (c) Before a defendant who has no attorney, other than a 1-8 defendant charged with an offense punishable by fine only, can 1-9 agree to waive the jury, the court must appoint an attorney to 1-10 represent him. 1-11 SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies to the 1-12 trial of an offense that commences on or after the effective date 1-13 of this Act. A trial that commences before the effective date of 1-14 this Act is covered by the law in effect when the trial commences, 1-15 and the former law is continued in effect for this purpose. 1-16 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995. 1-17 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 1-18 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-19 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-20 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-21 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.