By Finnell H.B. No. 1545 75R5193 JMC-F A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to pleas entered by a minor and the issuance of a summons 1-3 to compel the appearance of the minor's parent in justice or 1-4 municipal court. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Chapter 45, Code of Criminal Procedure, is 1-7 amended by adding Article 45.331 to read as follows: 1-8 Art. 45.331. PLEA BY MINOR AND APPEARANCE OF PARENT. 1-9 (a) If a defendant is younger than 17 years of age and has not had 1-10 the disabilities of minority removed, the court: 1-11 (1) must take the defendant's plea in open court; and 1-12 (2) shall issue a summons to compel the defendant's 1-13 parent, guardian, or managing conservator to be present during: 1-14 (A) the taking of the defendant's plea; and 1-15 (B) all other proceedings relating to the case. 1-16 (b) If the court is unable to secure the appearance of the 1-17 defendant's parent, guardian, or managing conservator by issuance 1-18 of a summons, the court may, without the defendant's parent, 1-19 guardian, or managing conservator present, take the defendant's 1-20 plea and proceed against the defendant. 1-21 (c) If the defendant resides in a county other than the 1-22 county in which the alleged offense occurred, the defendant may, 1-23 with leave of court, enter the plea, including a plea under 1-24 Article 45.55, before a justice in the county in which the 2-1 defendant resides. 2-2 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. 2-3 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-4 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-5 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-6 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-7 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.