Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.

      Line and page numbers may not match official copy.

      By Wise                                         H.B. No. 3526

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the rights of an accused in the criminal justice

 1-3     system.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Art. 1.05, Code of Criminal Procedure, is amended

 1-6     to read as follows:

 1-7           Art. 1.05.  RIGHTS OF ACCUSED.  (a)  In all criminal

 1-8     prosecutions the accused shall have a speedy public trial by an

 1-9     impartial jury.  He shall have the right to demand the nature and

1-10     cause of the accusation against him, and to have a copy thereof.

1-11     He shall not be compelled to give evidence against himself.  He

1-12     shall have the right of being heard by himself, or counsel, or

1-13     both; shall be confronted with the witnesses against him, and shall

1-14     have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor.  No

1-15     person shall be held to answer for a felony unless on indictment of

1-16     a grand jury.

1-17           (b)  During any criminal investigation or prosecution of an

1-18     accused under Sections 21.11, 22.011, or 22.021 of the Penal Code

1-19     or under Chapter 81, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, the name and

1-20     any information that could reveal the identity of the accused shall

1-21     remain confidential and may only be released at such time that an

1-22     information or an indictment of a grand jury is filed.

1-23           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-24     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-1     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-2     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 2-3     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

 2-4     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

 2-5     passage, and it is so enacted.