SRC-JBJ C.S.S.B. 1681 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 1681
By: Jackson
Jurisprudence
4/3/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, there is some confusion regarding the consideration of a payment
for certain tickets as sufficient to indicate a person's intent to enter a
plea of no contest.  C.S.S.B. 1681 allows for the payment for certain
tickets to be sufficient for a plea of no contest. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a
state officer, institution, or agency.   

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 27.14(c), Code of Criminal Procedure, to provide
that payment of a fine or an amount accepted by the court, in a misdemeanor
case for which the maximum possible punishment is by fine only, constitutes
a finding of guilty in open court as though a plea of nolo contendere had
been entered by the defendant and constitutes a waiver of a jury trial in
writing. 

SECTION 2.  Makes application of this Act prospective. 

SECTION 3.  Effective date: September 1, 2001.

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

Differs from the original by amending the relating clause.

SECTION 1.  Differs from the original by making nonsubstantive changes.

Adds new SECTIONS 2 and 3 to make application of this Act prospective and
amend the effective date of this Act from 90 days after adjournment to
September 1, 2001.