88R20032 EAS-D
 
  By: Hinojosa, Hayes, Kacal H.B. No. 479
 
  Substitute the following for H.B. No. 479:
 
  By:  Herrero C.S.H.B. No. 479
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the period for transporting a criminal defendant who is
  found incompetent to stand trial to a facility for competency
  restoration services and to the compensation to the county for the
  costs of confinement occurring after that period.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 46B, Code of Criminal
  Procedure, is amended by adding Article 46B.0753 to read as
  follows:
         Art. 46B.0753.  TRANSFER TO COMMISSION; COMPENSATION TO
  COUNTIES.  (a)  The commission shall take custody of a defendant
  awaiting transfer to a mental health facility operated by or under
  contract with the commission not later than the 21st day following
  the date the court delivered a signed order of commitment under
  Article 46B.076.
         (b)  If the commission does not take custody of a defendant
  within the period prescribed by Subsection (a), the commission
  shall:
               (1)  evaluate the overall health of the defendant in
  person at least once a week until the defendant is transferred to
  the appropriate mental health facility; and
               (2)  compensate the county for the cost of confinement
  for each day that the defendant remains confined in the county jail
  following the expiration of that period.
         (c)  The compensation described by Subsection (b)(2) must be
  equal to the amount that would have been incurred by the commission
  to confine the defendant for that period.
         SECTION 2.  (a)  The change in law made by this Act applies to
  a defendant for whom an order of commitment is issued before, on, or
  after the effective date of this Act.
         (b)  Notwithstanding Article 46B.0753(a), Code of Criminal
  Procedure, as added by this Act, for a defendant who, on the
  effective date of this Act, is confined in a county jail and
  awaiting transfer to a mental health facility under an order of
  commitment, the 21-day period provided by that subsection for the
  Health and Human Services Commission to take custody of the
  defendant begins on the effective date of this Act.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.