By Keel H.B. No. 511 77R2634 JMG-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to making arrest warrants and certain affidavits made in 1-3 support of the issuance of arrest warrants available for public 1-4 inspection. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Article 15.26, Code of Criminal Procedure, is 1-7 amended to read as follows: 1-8 Art. 15.26. AUTHORITY TO ARREST MUST BE MADE KNOWN. In 1-9 executing a warrant of arrest, it shall always be made known to the 1-10 accused under what authority the arrest is made. The warrant shall 1-11 be executed by the arrest of the defendant. The officer need not 1-12 have the warrant in his possession at the time of the arrest, 1-13 provided the warrant was issued under the provisions of this Code, 1-14 but upon request he shall show the warrant, and any affidavit 1-15 presented to the magistrate in support of the issuance of the 1-16 warrant, to the defendant as soon as possible. If the officer does 1-17 not have the warrant in his possession at the time of arrest he 1-18 shall then inform the defendant of the offense charged and of the 1-19 fact that a warrant has been issued. The arrest warrant, and any 1-20 affidavit presented to the magistrate in support of the issuance of 1-21 the warrant, is public information, and beginning immediately when 1-22 the warrant is executed the magistrate's clerk shall make a copy of 1-23 the warrant and the affidavit available for public inspection in 1-24 the clerk's office during normal business hours. 2-1 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 2-2 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 2-3 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this 2-4 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 2-5 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.