HBA-JEK H.B. 1659 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1659
By: Ritter
Corrections
7/26/2001
Enrolled



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Sometimes defendants or inmates are temporarily transferred from the Texas
Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) to a county in order to testify in
court.  Prior to the 77th Legislature, TDCJ was required to maintain a
notification system to provide information to victims on the location of an
offender.  However, a county was not required to inform TDCJ if a defendant
or inmate was released from custody while the person was away from TDCJ as
a witness in a court proceeding.  When such a notification was not made, a
person calling TDCJ about the location of a released offender was told that
the offender was still in TDCJ control.  House Bill 1659 requires a county
to immediately notify TDCJ if an inmate or defendant transferred from TDCJ
to the county to testify in court is released on bail or due to a dismissal
of charges on which the person was convicted. 

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 1659 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to require a county
after the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) transfers a defendant
or inmate to testify in court to immediately notify an officer designated
by TDCJ of the release of the defendant or inmate on bail or due to the
dismissal of any charges on which the person was convicted. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

June 14, 2001.