87R11751 YDB-D
 
  By: Hinojosa, Krause, Moody, Leach, H.B. No. 4293
      González of Dallas
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the creation of a court reminder program for criminal
  defendants.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 75, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Subchapter J to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER J. COURT REMINDER PROGRAM
         Sec. 75.601.  ESTABLISHMENT OF STATE PROGRAM FOR
  PARTICIPATING COUNTIES. (a) The Office of Court Administration of
  the Texas Judicial System shall develop and make available to each
  county a court reminder program that allows the county to send a
  text message to notify criminal defendants of scheduled court
  appearances. The purposes of the program must include:
               (1)  reducing costs associated with defendants who fail
  to appear for a scheduled court appearance;
               (2)  improving the efficiency of courts in this state;
               (3)  reminding criminal defendants to appear at each
  scheduled court appearance; and
               (4)  reducing the number of criminal defendants who are
  confined in a county jail due solely to the defendant's failure to
  appear for a scheduled court appearance.
         (b)  The program must:
               (1)  be available to each county at no cost;
               (2)  comply with applicable state and federal laws
  requiring the consent of an individual before sending a reminder by
  text message;
               (3)  provide text message reminders for each court
  appearance of a defendant who has access to a device with the
  technological capability of receiving text messages and provides
  the court administrator with an operational phone number for the
  device;
               (4)  document each occurrence of a criminal defendant
  receiving a text message reminder;
               (5)  identify criminal defendants with scheduled court
  appearances who lack access to devices with the technological
  capability of receiving text messages;
               (6)  document the number of criminal defendants who
  fail to appear at scheduled court appearances after being sent one
  or more text message reminders;
               (7)  include the technological capability, at the
  discretion of the local administrative judge, to provide additional
  information to criminal defendants concerning scheduled court
  appearances, such as the location of the court appearance,
  available transportation options, and procedures for defendants
  who are unable to attend court appearances;
               (8)  support partnerships with local law enforcement
  agencies, local governments, and local public defenders in
  accordance with the purposes described by Subsection (a); and
               (9)  provide one or more publicly available Internet
  websites through which criminal defendants may request text
  reminders.
         Sec. 75.602.  ESTABLISHMENT OF COUNTY PROGRAMS. (a) The
  judges of the county courts, statutory county courts, and district
  courts with jurisdiction over criminal cases in each county shall
  establish a court reminder program that allows the county to send a
  text message to notify criminal defendants of scheduled court
  appearances.
         (b)  In developing the court reminder program, the judges may
  join the state program developed under Section 75.601 or develop a
  county program that allows the county to send text message
  notifications to criminal defendants and that complies with the
  requirements of Section 75.601(b).
         Sec. 75.603.  MUNICIPAL PROGRAM. (a) The Office of Court
  Administration of the Texas Judicial System, or the judges of the
  county courts, statutory county courts, and district courts with
  jurisdiction over criminal cases in each county, may partner with
  municipalities and local law enforcement agencies to allow:
               (1)  individuals to whom a peace officer issues a
  citation and releases to receive text message reminders of
  scheduled court appearances; and
               (2)  criminal defendants in municipal court to receive
  text message reminders of scheduled court appearances.
         (b)  Any municipality that partners with the Office of Court
  Administration of the Texas Judicial System shall pay all costs of
  sending reminders to municipal criminal defendants, including the
  costs of linking the municipal court database with the state court
  administrator database.
         SECTION 2.  Not later than September 1, 2022, the Office of
  Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System and the judges of
  the county courts, statutory county courts, and district courts
  with jurisdiction over criminal cases in each county shall develop
  and make available the court reminder program as required by
  Subchapter J, Chapter 75, Government Code, as added by this Act.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.