Honorable John Whitmire, Chair, Senate Committee on Criminal Justice
FROM:
John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB1522 by Hinojosa (Relating to the entering of a plea in a criminal case by a defendant confined in a penal institution.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend the Code of Criminal Procedure relating to the entering of a plea in a criminal case by a defendant confined in a penal institution. The proposed amendments would allow the requirement that the plea be in writing to be satisfied by delivery of writing by United States mail or secure electronic or facsimile transmission. The proposed amendments add requirements that the court verify that the person submitting the plea is the defendant named in the information or indictment or a person with legal authority to act for the defendant in the information or indictment. The bill’s provisions are not anticipated to have a significant impact on judicial workloads or fiscal implication to the state. The bill would take effect September 1, 2011.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 696 Department of Criminal Justice