By: Huffman, Hinojosa S.B. No. 1318
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the release of defendants on bail, the duties of a
  magistrate in certain criminal proceedings, and the notice provided
  by peace officers to adult victims of family violence.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Article 5.04(c), Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (c)  A written notice required by Subsection (b) of this
  article is sufficient if it is in substantially the following form
  with the required information in English and in Spanish inserted in
  the notice:
         "It is a crime for any person to cause you any physical injury
  or harm EVEN IF THAT PERSON IS A MEMBER OR FORMER MEMBER OF YOUR
  FAMILY OR HOUSEHOLD.
  "NOTICE TO ADULT VICTIMS OF FAMILY VIOLENCE
         "Please tell the investigating peace officer:
         "IF you, your child, or any other household resident has been
  injured; or
         "IF you feel you are going to be in danger when the officer
  leaves or later.
         "You have the right to:
         "ASK the local prosecutor to file a criminal complaint
  against the person committing family violence;
         "PROVIDE information to the local prosecutor that will be
  helpful to a magistrate setting bail if the person committing
  family violence is arrested; and
         "APPLY to a court for an order to protect you (you should
  consult a legal aid office, a prosecuting attorney, or a private
  attorney). If a family or household member assaults you and is
  arrested, you may request that a magistrate's order for emergency
  protection be issued.  Please inform the investigating officer if
  you want an order for emergency protection.  You need not be
  present when the order is issued.  You cannot be charged a fee by a
  court in connection with filing, serving, or entering a protective
  order.  For example, the court can enter an order that:
         "(1) the abuser not commit further acts of violence;
         "(2) the abuser not threaten, harass, or contact you at home;
         "(3) directs the abuser to leave your household; and
         "(4) establishes temporary custody of the children and
  directs the abuser not to interfere with the children or any
  property.
         "A VIOLATION OF CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF COURT-ORDERED
  PROTECTION (such as (1) and (2) above) MAY BE A FELONY.
         "CALL THE FOLLOWING VIOLENCE SHELTERS OR SOCIAL
  ORGANIZATIONS IF YOU NEED PROTECTION:
         "____________________________
         "____________________________."
         SECTION 2.  Article 15.17, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended by adding Subsection (h) to read as follows:
         (h)  Not later than 24 hours after the time a magistrate
  determines that no probable cause exists to believe that a person
  committed the offense for which the person was arrested, the
  magistrate shall make oral or written findings of fact and
  conclusions of law on the record to support that finding. 
         SECTION 3.  Article 17.021, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended by adding Subsection (h) to read as follows:
         (h)  The office shall, without cost to the county, allow a
  county to integrate with the public safety report system the jail
  records management system and case management system used by the
  county.
         SECTION 4.  Article 17.022, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended by adding Subsection (g) to read as follows:
         (g)  In the manner described by this article, a magistrate
  may order, prepare, or consider a public safety report in setting
  bail for a defendant who is not in custody at the time the report is
  ordered, prepared, or considered.
         SECTION 5.  The heading to Article 17.027, Code of Criminal
  Procedure, is amended to read as follows:
         Art. 17.027.  RELEASE ON BAIL OF DEFENDANT CHARGED WITH
  FELONY OFFENSE [COMMITTED WHILE ON BAIL].
         SECTION 6.  Article 17.027, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (a-1),
  (a-2), (c), and (d) to read as follows:
         (a)  Notwithstanding any other law:
               (1)  if a defendant is charged with committing an
  offense punishable as a felony while released on bail in a pending
  case for another offense punishable as a felony and the subsequent
  offense was committed in the same county as the previous offense,
  the defendant may be released on bail only by:
                     (A)  the court before whom the case for the
  previous offense is pending; or
                     (B)  another court designated in writing by the
  court described by Paragraph (A); and
               (2)  if a defendant is charged with committing an
  offense punishable as a felony while released on bail for another
  pending offense punishable as a felony and the subsequent offense
  was committed in a different county than the previous offense,
  electronic notice of the charge must be [promptly] given to the
  individual designated to receive electronic notices for the county
  in which the previous offense was committed, not later than the next
  business day after the date the defendant is charged, for purposes
  of the court specified by Subdivision (1) [for purposes of
  reevaluating the bail decision,] determining whether any bail
  conditions were violated[,] or taking any other applicable action 
  such as an action described by Subsection (a-1).
         (a-1)  If a defendant is charged with committing an offense
  punishable as a felony while released on bail in a pending case for
  another offense punishable as a felony, the court before which the
  case for the previous offense is pending shall consider whether to
  revoke or modify the terms of the previous bond or to otherwise
  reevaluate the previous bail decision.
         (a-2)  A criminal law hearing officer appointed under
  Chapter 54, Government Code, may not release on bail a defendant
  who:
               (1)  is charged with committing an offense punishable
  as a felony if the defendant:
                     (A)  was on parole at the time of the offense;
                     (B)  has previously been finally convicted of two
  or more offenses punishable as a felony and for which the defendant
  was imprisoned in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice; or
                     (C)  is subject to an immigration detainer issued
  by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement; or
               (2)  is charged with committing an offense under the
  following provisions of the Penal Code:
                     (A)  Section 19.02 (murder);
                     (B)  Section 19.03 (capital murder);
                     (C)  Section 20.04 (aggravated kidnapping);
                     (D)  Section 22.02 (aggravated assault); or
                     (E)  Section 22.021 (aggravated sexual assault).
         (c)  The local administrative district judge for each county
  shall designate an individual to receive electronic notices under
  Subsection (a)(2). The county shall ensure that the name and
  contact information of the individual designated to receive notices
  under this subsection is:
               (1)  provided on all criminal history and warrant
  documents issued by the county; and
               (2)  included in the public safety report system
  developed under Article 17.021.
         (d)  An individual designated under Subsection (c) who
  receives an electronic notice under Subsection (a) shall promptly
  provide the notice to the court specified by Subsection (a)(1) and
  to the attorney representing the state and the defendant's attorney
  in the pending case for the offense for which the defendant was
  initially released on bail. A notice provided under this subsection
  does not constitute an ex parte communication. 
         SECTION 7.  Article 17.03(b-2), Code of Criminal Procedure,
  is amended to read as follows:
         (b-2)  Except as provided by Articles 15.21, 17.033, and
  17.151, a defendant may not be released on personal bond if the
  defendant:
               (1)  is charged with:
                     (A)  an offense involving violence; or
                     (B)  an offense under:
                           (i)  Section 481.1123, Health and Safety
  Code (manufacture or delivery of substance in Penalty Group 1-B);
                           (ii)  Section 22.07, Penal Code (terroristic
  threat);
                           (iii)  Section 25.07, Penal Code (violation
  of certain court orders or conditions of bond in a family violence,
  child abuse or neglect, sexual assault or abuse, indecent assault,
  stalking, or trafficking case); or
                           (iv)  Section 46.04(a), Penal Code (unlawful
  possession of firearm); or 
               (2)  while released on bail or community supervision
  for an offense involving violence, is charged with committing:
                     (A)  any offense punishable as a felony; or
                     (B)  an offense under the following provisions of
  the Penal Code:
                           (i)  Section 22.01(a)(1) (assault);
                           (ii)  Section 22.05 (deadly conduct); or
                           (iii)  [Section 22.07 (terroristic threat);
  or
                           [(iv)]  Section 42.01(a)(7) or (8)
  (disorderly conduct involving firearm).
         SECTION 8.  Article 17.21, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Art. 17.21.  BAIL IN FELONY.  (a)  In cases of felony, when
  the accused is in custody of the sheriff or other officer, and the
  court before which the prosecution is pending is in session in the
  county where the accused is in custody, the court shall fix the
  amount of bail, if it is a bailable case and determine if the
  accused is eligible for a personal bond; and the sheriff or other
  peace officer, unless it be the police of a city, or a jailer
  licensed under Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, is authorized to
  take a bail bond of the accused in the amount as fixed by the court,
  to be approved by such officer taking the same, and will thereupon
  discharge the accused from custody.  The defendant and the
  defendant's sureties are not required to appear in court.
         (b)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a magistrate may not
  release on bail a defendant charged with an offense punishable as a
  felony unless:
               (1)  the defendant has appeared before the magistrate;
  and
               (2)  the magistrate has considered the public safety
  report prepared under Article 17.022 for the defendant.
         SECTION 9.  Articles 44.01(a) and (g), Code of Criminal
  Procedure, are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  The state is entitled to appeal an order of a court in a
  criminal case if the order:
               (1)  dismisses an indictment, information, or
  complaint or any portion of an indictment, information, or
  complaint;
               (2)  arrests or modifies a judgment;
               (3)  grants a new trial;
               (4)  sustains a claim of former jeopardy;
               (5)  grants a motion to suppress evidence, a
  confession, or an admission, if jeopardy has not attached in the
  case and if the prosecuting attorney certifies to the trial court
  that the appeal is not taken for the purpose of delay and that the
  evidence, confession, or admission is of substantial importance in
  the case; [or]
               (6)  is issued under Chapter 64; or
               (7)  grants bail, in an amount considered insufficient
  by the prosecuting attorney, to a defendant who:
                     (A)  is charged with an offense punishable as a
  felony; and
                     (B)  has previously been granted bail for a
  pending offense punishable as a felony.
         (g)  If the state appeals pursuant to this article and the
  defendant is on bail, the defendant [he] shall be permitted to
  remain at large on the existing bail.  If the defendant is in
  custody, the defendant [he] is entitled to reasonable bail, as
  provided by law, unless the appeal is from an order which would:
               (1)  terminate the prosecution, in which event the
  defendant is entitled to release on personal bond; or
               (2)  grant bail in an amount considered insufficient by
  the prosecuting attorney, in which event the defendant shall be
  held in custody during the pendency of the appeal.
         SECTION 10.  Section 72.038, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows:
         (b-1)  A person who releases a defendant on bail under the
  authority of a standing order related to bail shall complete the
  form required under this section.
         SECTION 11.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
  to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act.  
  An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is
  governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed,
  and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.  For
  purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the
  effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred
  before that date.
         SECTION 12.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.