79R7842 KEL-F

By:  Duncan                                                       S.B. No. 925


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to competency to be executed in a capital case. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Article 46.05, Code of Criminal Procedure, is amended by amending Subsections (g), (k), and (l) and adding Subsections (m) and (n) to read as follows: (g) If the trial court does not determine that the defendant has made a substantial showing of incompetency, the court shall deny the motion and may set an execution date as otherwise provided by law. (k) The trial court shall determine whether [If], on the basis of reports provided under Subsection (i), the motion, any attached documents, any responsive pleadings, and any evidence introduced in the final competency hearing, the defendant has established [trial court makes a finding] by a preponderance of the evidence that the defendant is incompetent to be executed. If the court makes a finding that the defendant is not incompetent to be executed, the court may set an execution date as otherwise provided by law. (l) Following the trial court's determination under Subsection (k) and on motion of a party, the clerk shall send immediately to the court of criminal appeals in accordance with Section 8(d), Article 11.071, the appropriate documents for that court's review and entry of a judgment [determination] of whether to adopt the trial court's order, findings, or recommendations issued under Subsections (g) or (k). The court of criminal appeals also shall determine whether any existing execution date should be withdrawn and a stay of execution issued while that court is conducting its review or, if a stay is not issued during the review, after entry of its judgment. (m) If a stay of execution is issued by the court of criminal appeals, the trial court periodically shall order that the defendant be reexamined by mental health experts to determine whether the defendant is no longer incompetent to be executed. (n) [(l)] If the court of criminal appeals enters a judgment that a defendant is not incompetent to be executed [trial court does not make the finding as described by Subsection (k)], the court may withdraw any stay of execution issued under Subsection (l), and the trial court may set an execution date as otherwise provided by law. SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only to a motion filed under Article 46.05, Code of Criminal Procedure, on or after the effective date of this Act. A motion filed under that article before the effective date of this Act is covered by the law in effect on the date the motion was filed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.