H.B. 1300 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


H.B. 1300
By: Riddle
Criminal Jurisprudence
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current law allows any magistrate to release a defendant on personal bond,
with the exception that for certain serious or violent offenses only the
court before whom the case is pending may release a defendant on personal
bond.  As proposed, House Bill 1300 includes murder, manslaughter,
intoxication manslaughter, and criminally negligent homicide to the list
of offenses for which only the court before whom the case is pending may
grant a personal bond.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or
institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 1300 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure, to add the offenses
of murder, manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, and intoxication
manslaughter to the list of offenses for which a court before whom the
case is pending may release a defendant on personal bond. The bill removes
the offense of a deadly assault  on a law enforcement or corrections
officer, member or employee of board of pardons and paroles, or court
participant, from the list of offenses for which only a court before whom
the case is pending may release a defendant on personal bond.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2003.