79R3408 RMB-D
By: Puente H.B. No. 2490
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the availability of a pretrial diversion program for
certain defendants.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 32, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
amended by adding Article 32.03 to read as follows:
Art. 32.03. PRETRIAL DIVERSION. (a) In this article,
"pretrial diversion program" means a program in which prosecution
against the defendant is deferred and may be dismissed on the
defendant's successful completion of the conditions of the program.
(b) A prosecutor shall determine, considering the
restrictions on eligibility provided by this subsection and the
seriousness of the offense charged and the facts of the case,
whether a defendant is eligible to participate in a pretrial
diversion program. A defendant is not eligible for participation
in a pretrial diversion program if:
(1) the defendant has been previously convicted of an
offense punishable by confinement; or
(2) the defendant is charged with a felony.
(c) A defendant who is determined by a prosecutor to be
eligible for participation in a pretrial diversion program and who
chooses to participate in a pretrial diversion program shall:
(1) pay a pretrial diversion filing fee of $100 unless
the judge for good cause waives the fee;
(2) pay court costs, if any;
(3) agree to fulfill all reasonable conditions
provided by the pretrial diversion program agreement; and
(4) waive, in a sworn writing, the defendant's right to
a speedy trial.
(d) The prosecutor shall determine the conditions of the
program and may alter or modify the conditions at any time during
the program. The prosecutor may impose and provide in the agreement
any reasonable condition that is designed to protect or restore the
community, protect or restore the victim, or punish, rehabilitate,
or reform the defendant. Reasonable conditions include that the
defendant:
(1) agree to abide by all laws and commit no new
offenses under the laws of any state or the United States;
(2) agree to support dependents and fulfill family
responsibilities;
(3) agree to remain gainfully employed, to seek
employment, or to attend school on a full-time basis;
(4) agree to report to the prosecutor or a community
supervision and corrections department officer, as appropriate;
(5) agree to truthfully answer all reasonable
inquiries directed to the defendant by the prosecutor, a court, or a
community supervision and corrections department officer;
(6) agree to report, within 24 hours, any contact
between the defendant and a peace officer to the prosecutor or a
community supervision and corrections department officer; and
(7) agree to report any change of address or telephone
number, within seven days, to the prosecutor or a community
supervision and corrections department officer.
(e) Before placing a defendant in a pretrial diversion
program, the prosecutor shall admonish the defendant that the
failure of the defendant to comply with any condition imposed on the
defendant may result in the forfeiture of any fee paid for the
program and prosecution for the offense for which the defendant is
charged.
SECTION 2. Section 103.021, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 103.021. ADDITIONAL FEES AND COSTS IN CRIMINAL OR
CIVIL CASES. An accused or defendant, or a party to a civil suit,
as applicable, shall pay the following fees and costs if ordered by
the court or otherwise required:
(1) a personal bond fee (Art. 17.42, Code of Criminal
Procedure) . . . the greater of $20 or three percent of the amount
of the bail fixed for the accused;
(2) cost of electronic monitoring as a condition of
release on personal bond (Art. 17.43, Code of Criminal
Procedure) . . . actual cost;
(3) a fee for verification of and monitoring of motor
vehicle ignition interlock (Art. 17.441, Code of Criminal
Procedure) . . . not to exceed $10;
(4) repayment of reward paid by a crime stoppers
organization on conviction of a felony (Art. 37.073, Code of
Criminal Procedure) . . . amount ordered;
(5) reimbursement to general revenue fund for payments
made to victim of an offense as condition of community supervision
(Art. 42.12, Code of Criminal Procedure) . . . not to exceed $50
for a misdemeanor offense or $100 for a felony offense;
(6) payment to a crime stoppers organization as
condition of community supervision (Art. 42.12, Code of Criminal
Procedure) . . . not to exceed $50;
(7) children's advocacy center fee (Art. 42.12, Code
of Criminal Procedure) . . . not to exceed $50;
(8) family violence shelter center fee (Art. 42.12,
Code of Criminal Procedure) . . . not to exceed $100;
(9) community supervision fee (Art. 42.12, Code of
Criminal Procedure) . . . not less than $25 or more than $60 per
month;
(10) additional community supervision fee for certain
offenses (Art. 42.12, Code of Criminal Procedure) . . . $5 per
month;
(11) for certain financially able sex offenders as a
condition of community supervision, the costs of treatment,
specialized supervision, or rehabilitation (Art. 42.12, Code of
Criminal Procedure) . . . all or part of the reasonable and
necessary costs of the treatment, supervision, or rehabilitation as
determined by the judge;
(12) fee for failure to appear for trial in a justice
or municipal court if a jury trial is not waived (Art. 45.026, Code
of Criminal Procedure) . . . costs incurred for impaneling the
jury;
(13) costs of certain testing, assessments, or
programs during a deferral period (Art. 45.051, Code of Criminal
Procedure) . . . amount ordered;
(14) special expense on dismissal of certain
misdemeanor complaints (Art. 45.051, Code of Criminal
Procedure) . . . not to exceed amount of fine assessed;
(15) an additional fee:
(A) as an administrative fee for requesting a
driving safety course or a course under the motorcycle operator
training and safety program for certain traffic offenses to cover
the cost of administering the article (Art. 45.0511(f)(1), Code of
Criminal Procedure) . . . not to exceed $10; or
(B) for requesting a driving safety course or a
course under the motorcycle operator training and safety program
before the final disposition of the case (Art. 45.0511(f)(2), Code
of Criminal Procedure) . . . not to exceed the maximum amount of
the fine for the offense committed by the defendant;
(16) a request fee for teen court program (Art.
45.052, Code of Criminal Procedure) . . . not to exceed $10;
(17) a fee to cover costs of required duties of teen
court (Art. 45.052, Code of Criminal Procedure) . . . $10;
(18) a mileage fee for officer performing certain
services (Art. 102.001, Code of Criminal Procedure) . . . $0.15
per mile;
(19) certified mailing of notice of hearing date (Art.
102.006, Code of Criminal Procedure) . . . $1, plus postage;
(20) certified mailing of certified copies of an order
of expunction (Art. 102.006, Code of Criminal Procedure) . . . $2,
plus postage;
(21) sight orders:
(A) if the face amount of the check or sight order
does not exceed $10 (Art. 102.007, Code of Criminal
Procedure) . . . not to exceed $10;
(B) if the face amount of the check or sight order
is greater than $10 but does not exceed $100 (Art. 102.007, Code of
Criminal Procedure) . . . not to exceed $15;
(C) if the face amount of the check or sight order
is greater than $100 but does not exceed $300 (Art. 102.007, Code of
Criminal Procedure) . . . not to exceed $30;
(D) if the face amount of the check or sight order
is greater than $300 but does not exceed $500 (Art. 102.007, Code of
Criminal Procedure) . . . not to exceed $50; and
(E) if the face amount of the check or sight order
is greater than $500 (Art. 102.007, Code of Criminal
Procedure) . . . not to exceed $75;
(22) a fee for pretrial intervention program (Art.
102.012, Code of Criminal Procedure) . . . not to exceed $500;
(23) parking fee violations for child safety fund in
municipalities with populations:
(A) greater than 850,000 (Art. 102.014, Code of
Criminal Procedure) . . . not less than $2 and not to exceed $5;
and
(B) less than 850,000 (Art. 102.014, Code of
Criminal Procedure) . . . not to exceed $5;
(24) an administrative fee for collection of fines,
fees, restitution, or other costs (Art. 102.072, Code of Criminal
Procedure) . . . not to exceed $2 for each transaction;
(25) a court reporter fee when testimony is taken:
(A) in a criminal court in Dallas County (Sec.
25.0593, Government Code) . . . $3;
(B) in a county criminal court of appeals in
Dallas County (Sec. 25.0594, Government Code) . . . $3;
(C) in a county court at law in McLennan County
(Sec. 25.1572, Government Code) . . . $3; and
(D) in a county criminal court in Tarrant County
(Sec. 25.2223, Government Code) . . . $3;
(26) a speedy trial filing fee in El Paso County (Sec.
54.745, Government Code) . . . $100;
(27) costs for use of magistrate in Brazos County
(Sec. 54.1116, Government Code) . . . not to exceed $50;
(28) an administrative fee for participation in
certain community supervision programs (Sec. 76.015, Government
Code) . . . not less than $25 and not more than $40 per month;
(29) in family matters:
(A) issuing writ of withholding (Sec. 8.262,
Family Code) . . . $15;
(B) filing copy of writ of withholding to
subsequent employer (Sec. 8.267, Family Code) . . . $15;
(C) issuing and delivering modified writ of
withholding or notice of termination (Sec. 8.302, Family
Code) . . . $15;
(D) issuing and delivering notice of termination
of withholding (Sec. 8.303, Family Code) . . . $15;
(E) issuance of change of name certificate (Sec.
45.106, Family Code) . . . $10;
(F) protective order fee (Sec. 81.003, Family
Code) . . . $16;
(G) filing suit requesting adoption of child
(Sec. 108.006, Family Code) . . . $15;
(H) filing fees for suits affecting parent-child
relationship (Sec. 110.002, Family Code):
(i) suit or motion for modification (Sec.
110.002, Family Code) . . . $15;
(ii) motion for enforcement (Sec. 110.002,
Family Code) . . . $15;
(iii) notice of application for judicial
writ of withholding (Sec. 110.002, Family Code) . . . $15;
(iv) motion to transfer (Sec. 110.002,
Family Code) . . . $15;
(v) petition for license suspension (Sec.
110.002, Family Code) . . . $15;
(vi) motion to revoke a stay of license
suspension (Sec. 110.002, Family Code) . . . $15; and
(vii) motion for contempt (Sec. 110.002,
Family Code) . . . $15;
(I) order or writ of income withholding to be
delivered to employer (Sec. 110.004, Family Code) . . . not to
exceed $15;
(J) filing fee for transferred case (Sec.
110.005, Family Code) . . . $45;
(K) filing a writ of withholding (Sec. 158.319,
Family Code) . . . $15;
(L) filing a request for modified writ of
withholding or notice of termination (Sec. 158.403, Family
Code) . . . not to exceed $15;
(M) filing an administrative writ to employer
(Sec. 158.503, Family Code) . . . not to exceed $15; and
(N) genetic testing fees in relation to a child
born to a gestational mother (Sec. 160.762, Family Code) . . . as
assessed by the court;
(30) in juvenile court:
(A) fee schedule for deferred prosecution
services (Sec. 53.03, Family Code) . . . maximum fee of $15 a
month;
(B) a teen court administration fee (Sec. 54.032,
Family Code) . . . not to exceed $10;
(C) court costs for juvenile probation diversion
fund (Sec. 54.0411, Family Code) . . . $20;
(D) a juvenile delinquency prevention fee (Sec.
54.0461, Family Code) . . . $5; and
(E) a court fee for child's probationary period
(Sec. 54.061, Family Code) . . . not to exceed $15 a month;
(31) a court reporter service fee if the courts have
official court reporters (Sec. 51.601, Government Code) . . . $15;
(32) administrative fee on dismissal of charge of
driving with an expired motor vehicle registration (Sec. 502.407,
Transportation Code) . . . not to exceed $10;
(33) administrative fee on dismissal of charge of
driving with an expired driver's license (Sec. 521.026,
Transportation Code) . . . not to exceed $10;
(34) administrative fee on remediation of charge of
driving with an expired inspection certificate (Sec. 548.605,
Transportation Code) . . . not to exceed $10;
(35) administrative fee for failure to appear for a
complaint or citation on certain offenses (Sec. 706.006,
Transportation Code) . . . $30 for each violation;
(36) administrative fee for failure to pay or satisfy
certain judgments (Sec. 706.006, Transportation Code) . . . $30;
(37) fee paid on filing a petition for an order of
nondisclosure of criminal history record information in certain
cases (Sec. 411.081, Government Code) . . . $28; [and]
(38) a pretrial diversion filing fee (Art. 32.03, Code
of Criminal Procedure) . . . $100; and
(39) on a finding that an animal's owner has cruelly
treated the animal, court costs including:
(A) investigation (Sec. 821.023, Health and
Safety Code) . . . actual costs;
(B) expert witnesses (Sec. 821.023, Health and
Safety Code) . . . actual costs;
(C) housing and caring for the animal during its
impoundment (Sec. 821.023, Health and Safety Code) . . . actual
costs;
(D) conducting any public sale ordered by the
court (Sec. 821.023, Health and Safety Code) . . . actual costs;
and
(E) humanely destroying the animal if
destruction is ordered by the court (Sec. 821.023, Health and
Safety Code) . . . actual costs.
SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only
to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act.
An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is
covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed, and the
former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of
this section, an offense is committed before the effective date of
this Act if any element of the offense occurs before the effective
date.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.