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Amend CSHB 2020 (house committee printing) by adding the following appropriately numbered SECTION to the bill and renumbering subsequent SECTIONS and cross-references to those SECTIONS accordingly:
SECTION ____. Chapter 17, Code of Criminal Procedure, is amended by adding Article 17.081 to read as follows:
Art. 17.081. MONETARY BAIL BOND: WRITTEN FINDING. Before imposing a monetary bail bond, the court or magistrate must first make a written finding concerning whether the defendant is able to pay the amount imposed, based on the findings made under Article 17.15(a)(4). If the court or magistrate determines that the defendant is unable to pay the amount imposed, the court or magistrate may impose the monetary bail bond in that amount only on a finding by clear and convincing evidence that a lower bail amount would not reasonably ensure:
(1) the safety of the community or of the victim of the alleged offense; and
(2) the defendant's appearance in court.