HBA-JEK H.B. 1658 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1658
By: Ritter
Corrections
3/9/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current law does not require a court to notify the Texas Department of
Criminal Justice (TDCJ) when charges against a convicted defendant or
inmate transferred to TDCJ are subsequently dismissed.  Because some courts
do not inform TDCJ when charges are dropped, some inmates are incarcerated
longer than necessary while TDCJ confirms that the inmate is free to be
released.  House Bill 1658 requires a court to inform TDCJ when charges
against a defendant or inmate transferred to TDCJ are dismissed. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 1658 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to require a county
that transfers a defendant or inmate to the Texas Department of Criminal
Justice (TDCJ) to immediately notify an officer designated by TDCJ of any
subsequent dismissal of the charges on which the defendant or inmate was
convicted and transferred. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001.