BILL ANALYSIS |
H.B. 2131 |
By: Walle |
Criminal Jurisprudence |
Committee Report (Unamended) |
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
It has been suggested that the requirement for attorneys in public defender offices to report the results of any investigation of a client's financial circumstances to the appointing judge violates attorney-client privilege. H.B. 2131 seeks to remedy this situation by eliminating this requirement.
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CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
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RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
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ANALYSIS
H.B. 2131 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to remove the reporting requirement on a public defender's office that conducts an investigation of the financial condition of a person the public defender's office is appointed to represent and the authorization for a judge to hold a hearing to determine if the person is indigent and entitled to representation by a public defender.
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EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2019.
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