By West S.B. No. 870 75R5149 DWS-F A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to visual recording of persons arrested for certain 1-3 offenses. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 720, Transportation Code, is amended by 1-6 adding Section 720.003 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 720.003. VISUAL RECORDING OF PERSONS ARRESTED FOR 1-8 CERTAIN OFFENSES. (a) A county with a population of 25,000 or 1-9 more shall purchase and maintain electronic devices capable of 1-10 visually recording a person arrested within the county for an 1-11 offense under Section 49.04, 49.07, or 49.08, Penal Code. 1-12 (b) The sheriff of the county shall determine, on approval 1-13 by the commissioners court, the number of devices necessary to 1-14 ensure that a peace officer arresting a person for an offense 1-15 listed by Subsection (a) may visually record the person's 1-16 appearance within a reasonable time after the arrest. 1-17 (c) The failure of the arresting officer or another person 1-18 acting on behalf of the state to visually record a person arrested 1-19 for an offense listed by Subsection (a) in a county required by 1-20 that subsection to purchase and maintain the electronic devices is 1-21 admissible at the trial of the offense. 1-22 SECTION 2. Section 24, Chapter 303, Acts of the 68th 1-23 Legislature, Regular Session, 1983, is repealed. 1-24 SECTION 3. This Act is intended to codify law in effect 2-1 before the effective date of this Act. 2-2 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 2-3 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-4 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-5 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-6 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-7 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-8 passage, and it is so enacted.