TO: | Honorable Pete Gallego, Chair, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence |
FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
IN RE: | SB625 by Wentworth (Relating to the representation of indigent defendants in criminal cases.), As Engrossed |
The bill would make several nonsubstantive changes to the Code of Criminal Procedure as it relates to legal representation provided to indigent defendants in criminal cases and would change the name of the Task Force on Indigent Defense to the Texas Indigent Defense Council. The bill would authorize a county commissioners court to create a county department or by contract to designate a nonprofit corporation to serve as a public defender's office. Two or more counties could also jointly create or designate and fund a regional public defender's office.
Under current statute, county commissioners courts may appoint a governmental entity or nonprofit corporation to serve as a public defender.
Source Agencies: | 212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council
|
LBB Staff: | JOB, ESi, TP, DB
|