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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the review of a defendant's criminal history before any |
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release of the defendant on bail. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 17, Code of Criminal Procedure, is |
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amended by adding Article 17.034 to read as follows: |
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Art. 17.034. REVIEW OF DEFENDANT'S CRIMINAL HISTORY. (a) A |
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judge or magistrate must, before setting the amount of a |
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defendant's bail or releasing a defendant on personal bond, enter |
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into the record a written statement confirming that the judge or |
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magistrate has reviewed and considered the defendant's criminal |
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history as part of the proceedings for granting bail. |
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(b) A statement described by Subsection (a) must be made |
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available to the public on request. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to a person who is arrested on or after the effective date of this |
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Act. A person arrested before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law in effect on the date the person was arrested, |
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and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |