H.B. No. 550




AN ACT

relating to the preparation of and procedures related to a 
presentence report in a felony case.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Sections 9(d) and (g), Article 42.12, Code of 
Criminal Procedure, are amended to read as follows:
	(d)  Unless waived by the defendant, at least 48 hours before
[Before] sentencing a defendant, the judge shall permit the 
defendant or his counsel to read the presentence report.
	(g)  A [Unless requested by the defendant, a] judge is not 
required to direct an officer to prepare a presentence report in a 
felony case under this section if:
		(1)  punishment is to be assessed by a jury;                                  
		(2)  the defendant is convicted of or enters a plea of 
guilty or nolo contendere to capital murder;
		(3)  the only available punishment is imprisonment; or                        
		(4)  the judge is informed that a plea bargain 
agreement exists, under which the defendant agrees to a punishment 
of imprisonment, and the judge intends to follow the agreement.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.                           




______________________________              ______________________________
 
   President of the Senate                               Speaker of the House      

	I certify that H.B. No. 550 was passed by the House on April 
12, 2005, by a non-record vote.

                                                  ______________________________
                                                     Chief Clerk of the House   

	I certify that H.B. No. 550 was passed by the Senate on May 
20, 2005, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.

                                                  ______________________________
                                                     Secretary of the Senate    



APPROVED:  _____________________                                            
 
                   Date                                                      




 
          _____________________                                          
 
                 Governor