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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the payment of certain costs, fines, fees, or |
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restitution by a defendant placed on community supervision. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Article 42A.701, Code of Criminal Procedure, is |
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amended by adding Subsection (e-1) to read as follows: |
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(e-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (e), on the expiration of |
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the period of community supervision of a defendant who has |
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satisfactorily fulfilled the conditions of community supervision, |
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other than a condition requiring the defendant to pay costs, fines, |
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fees, or restitution, the judge shall discharge the defendant if: |
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(1) the defendant has agreed to pay any unpaid amount |
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under a payment plan entered into under Section 76.019, Government |
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Code; and |
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(2) the defendant provides appropriate documentation |
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of the plan to the judge. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 76, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Section 76.019 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 76.019. PAYMENT PLAN. (a) A department shall |
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establish policies and procedures to authorize a defendant who has |
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fulfilled all programmatic requirements of the defendant's |
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community supervision but has not paid all of the supervision fees |
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owed to the department or any costs, fines, fees, or restitution |
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ordered as a condition of community supervision, to pay the unpaid |
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amount under a payment plan. |
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(b) A payment plan under Subsection (a) must provide that |
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the defendant: |
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(1) promises to pay the unpaid amount as specified by |
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the plan; and |
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(2) is required to make payments under the plan after |
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the date on which the defendant is discharged under Article |
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42A.701(e-1), Code of Criminal Procedure. |
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SECTION 3. Not later than February 1, 2018, each community |
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supervision and corrections department shall adopt policies and |
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procedures required by Section 76.019, Government Code, as added by |
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this Act. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |