By Henderson S.B. No. 577
Substitute the following for S.B. No. 577:
By Cook C.S.S.B. No. 577
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to pleas entered by a minor in justice or municipal court.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Chapter 45, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
1-5 amended by adding Article 45.331 to read as follows:
1-6 Article 45.331. PLEA BY MINOR. (a) A plea of defendant who
1-7 is younger than 17 years of age, except as otherwise provided by
1-8 law, and who has not had the disabilities of minority removed must
1-9 be made in open court with the defendant's parent, guardian or
1-10 managing conservator present.
1-11 (b) The court may cause one or both parents, guardian or
1-12 managing conservator to be summoned to appear in Court and may
1-13 require them to be present during all proceedings in the case.
1-14 (c) The court for good cause may waive the requirement of
1-15 the presence of parents, a guardian or managing conservator under
1-16 Section (a) of this act, or Section 106.11, Alcoholic Beverage Code
1-17 and Article 6701 l-4, Section 1(a), VCS and the personal appearance
1-18 of the defendant under Section (a) of this act or Section 106.10,
1-19 Alcoholic Beverage Code and Article 6701 l-4, Section 1(a), VCS.
1-20 SECTION 2. This act takes effect September 1, 1995.
1-21 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
1-22 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-23 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-24 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-1 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.