86R12000 EAS-F
 
  By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 1293
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the authority of the commissioners court of a county to
  employ attorneys as mental health public defenders and to the
  reimbursement of an attorney who represents an indigent proposed
  patient in certain mental health proceedings.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 571, Health and Safety Code, is amended
  by adding Sections 571.0168 and 571.0169 to read as follows:
         Sec. 571.0168.  MENTAL HEALTH PUBLIC DEFENDERS. The
  commissioners court of a county may employ attorneys as mental
  health public defenders to provide proposed patients with legal
  representation in a proceeding under Chapter 574.
         Sec. 571.0169.  REPRESENTATION OF PROPOSED PATIENT. The
  court may appoint a mental health public defender described by
  Section 571.0168, a public defender other than a mental health
  public defender, or a private attorney to represent a proposed
  patient in any proceeding under Chapter 574.
         SECTION 2.  Section 574.010(b), Health and Safety Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (b)  If the court determines that the proposed patient is
  indigent, the court may authorize reimbursement to the attorney
  representing the proposed patient [ad litem] for court-approved
  expenses incurred in obtaining expert testimony and may order the
  proposed patient's county of residence to pay the expenses.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.