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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the release of defendants on bail, the duties of a |
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magistrate in certain criminal proceedings, and the notice provided |
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by peace officers to adult victims of family violence. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Article 5.04(c), Code of Criminal Procedure, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(c) A written notice required by Subsection (b) of this |
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article is sufficient if it is in substantially the following form |
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with the required information in English and in Spanish inserted in |
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the notice: |
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"It is a crime for any person to cause you any physical injury |
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or harm EVEN IF THAT PERSON IS A MEMBER OR FORMER MEMBER OF YOUR |
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FAMILY OR HOUSEHOLD. |
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"NOTICE TO ADULT VICTIMS OF FAMILY VIOLENCE |
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"Please tell the investigating peace officer: |
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"IF you, your child, or any other household resident has been |
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injured; or |
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"IF you feel you are going to be in danger when the officer |
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leaves or later. |
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"You have the right to: |
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"ASK the local prosecutor to file a criminal complaint |
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against the person committing family violence; |
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"PROVIDE information to the local prosecutor that will be |
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helpful to a magistrate setting bail if the person committing |
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family violence is arrested; and |
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"APPLY to a court for an order to protect you (you should |
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consult a legal aid office, a prosecuting attorney, or a private |
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attorney). If a family or household member assaults you and is |
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arrested, you may request that a magistrate's order for emergency |
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protection be issued. Please inform the investigating officer if |
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you want an order for emergency protection. You need not be |
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present when the order is issued. You cannot be charged a fee by a |
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court in connection with filing, serving, or entering a protective |
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order. For example, the court can enter an order that: |
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"(1) the abuser not commit further acts of violence; |
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"(2) the abuser not threaten, harass, or contact you at home; |
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"(3) directs the abuser to leave your household; and |
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"(4) establishes temporary custody of the children and |
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directs the abuser not to interfere with the children or any |
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property. |
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"A VIOLATION OF CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF COURT-ORDERED |
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PROTECTION (such as (1) and (2) above) MAY BE A FELONY. |
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"CALL THE FOLLOWING VIOLENCE SHELTERS OR SOCIAL |
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ORGANIZATIONS IF YOU NEED PROTECTION: |
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"____________________________ |
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"____________________________." |
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SECTION 2. Article 15.17, Code of Criminal Procedure, is |
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amended by adding Subsection (h) to read as follows: |
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(h) Not later than 24 hours after the time a magistrate |
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determines that no probable cause exists to believe that a person |
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committed the offense for which the person was arrested, the |
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magistrate shall make oral or written findings of fact and |
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conclusions of law to support that finding. |
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SECTION 3. Article 17.021, Code of Criminal Procedure, is |
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amended by adding Subsection (h) to read as follows: |
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(h) The office shall, without cost to the county, allow a |
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county to integrate with the public safety report system the jail |
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records management system and case management system used by the |
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county. |
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SECTION 4. Article 17.022, Code of Criminal Procedure, is |
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amended by adding Subsection (g) to read as follows: |
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(g) In the manner described by this article, a magistrate |
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may order, prepare, or consider a public safety report in setting |
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bail for a defendant who is not in custody at the time the report is |
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ordered, prepared, or considered. |
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SECTION 5. The heading to Article 17.027, Code of Criminal |
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Procedure, is amended to read as follows: |
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Art. 17.027. RELEASE ON BAIL OF DEFENDANT CHARGED WITH |
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FELONY OFFENSE [COMMITTED WHILE ON BAIL]. |
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SECTION 6. Article 17.027, Code of Criminal Procedure, is |
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amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (a-1), |
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(a-2), (c), and (d) to read as follows: |
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(a) Notwithstanding any other law: |
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(1) if a defendant is charged with committing an |
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offense punishable as a felony while released on bail in a pending |
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case for another offense punishable as a felony and the subsequent |
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offense was committed in the same county as the previous offense, |
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the defendant may be released on bail only by: |
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(A) the court before whom the case for the |
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previous offense is pending; or |
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(B) another court designated in writing by the |
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court described by Paragraph (A); and |
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(2) if a defendant is charged with committing an |
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offense punishable as a felony while released on bail for another |
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pending offense punishable as a felony and the subsequent offense |
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was committed in a different county than the previous offense, |
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electronic notice of the charge must be [promptly] given to the |
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individual designated to receive electronic notices for the county |
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in which the previous offense was committed, not later than the next |
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business day after the date the defendant is charged, for purposes |
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of the court specified by Subdivision (1) [for purposes of |
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reevaluating the bail decision,] determining whether any bail |
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conditions were violated[,] or taking any other applicable action |
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such as an action described by Subsection (a-1). |
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(a-1) If a defendant is charged with committing an offense |
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punishable as a felony while released on bail in a pending case for |
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another offense punishable as a felony, the court before which the |
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case for the previous offense is pending shall consider whether to |
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revoke or modify the terms of the previous bond or to otherwise |
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reevaluate the previous bail decision. |
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(a-2) A criminal law hearing officer appointed under |
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Chapter 54, Government Code, may not make a bail decision regarding |
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a defendant who: |
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(1) is charged with committing an offense punishable |
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as a felony if the defendant: |
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(A) was on parole at the time of the offense; |
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(B) has previously been finally convicted of two |
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or more offenses punishable as a felony and for which the defendant |
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was imprisoned in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice; or |
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(C) is subject to an immigration detainer issued |
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by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement; or |
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(2) is charged with committing an offense under the |
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following provisions of the Penal Code: |
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(A) Section 19.02 (murder); |
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(B) Section 19.03 (capital murder); |
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(C) Section 20.04 (aggravated kidnapping); |
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(D) Section 22.02 (aggravated assault); or |
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(E) Section 22.021 (aggravated sexual assault). |
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(c) The local administrative district judge for each county |
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shall designate an individual to receive electronic notices under |
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Subsection (a)(2). The county shall ensure that the name and |
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contact information of the individual designated to receive notices |
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under this subsection is: |
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(1) provided on all criminal history and warrant |
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documents issued by the county; and |
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(2) included in the public safety report system |
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developed under Article 17.021. |
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(d) An individual designated under Subsection (c) who |
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receives an electronic notice under Subsection (a) shall promptly |
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provide the notice to the court specified by Subsection (a)(1) and |
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to the attorney representing the state and the defendant's attorney |
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in the pending case for the offense for which the defendant was |
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initially released on bail. A notice provided under this subsection |
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does not constitute an ex parte communication. |
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SECTION 7. Articles 17.03(a) and (b-2), Code of Criminal |
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Procedure, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) Except as otherwise provided by this chapter |
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[Subsection (b) or (b-1)], a magistrate may, in the magistrate's |
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discretion, release the defendant on personal bond without sureties |
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or other security. |
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(b-2) Except as provided by Articles 15.21, 17.033, and |
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17.151, a defendant may not be released on personal bond if the |
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defendant: |
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(1) is charged with: |
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(A) an offense involving violence; or |
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(B) an offense under: |
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(i) Section 481.1123, Health and Safety |
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Code (manufacture or delivery of substance in Penalty Group 1-B); |
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(ii) Section 25.07, Penal Code (violation |
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of certain court orders or conditions of bond in a family violence, |
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child abuse or neglect, sexual assault or abuse, indecent assault, |
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stalking, or trafficking case); or |
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(iii) Section 46.04(a), Penal Code |
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(unlawful possession of firearm); or |
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(2) while released on bail or community supervision |
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for an offense involving violence, is charged with committing: |
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(A) any offense punishable as a felony; or |
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(B) an offense under the following provisions of |
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the Penal Code: |
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(i) Section 22.01(a)(1) (assault); |
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(ii) Section 22.05 (deadly conduct); |
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(iii) Section 22.07 (terroristic threat); |
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or |
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(iv) Section 42.01(a)(7) or (8) (disorderly |
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conduct involving firearm). |
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SECTION 8. 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. RELEASE ON PERSONAL BOND OF CERTAIN DEFENDANTS |
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CHARGED WITH NONVIOLENT MISDEMEANORS. (a) In this article, |
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"nonviolent misdemeanor" means any offense punishable as a |
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misdemeanor, other than an offense punishable as a Class A or Class |
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B misdemeanor under the following provisions of the Penal Code: |
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(1) Chapter 20, 21, 22, 25, 42, 43, 46, or 71; |
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(2) Section 49.04(d); or |
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(3) Section 49.06. |
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(b) This article applies only to a defendant who has not |
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previously been convicted of or placed on deferred adjudication |
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community supervision for an offense, other than a traffic offense |
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punishable by fine only. |
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(c) Notwithstanding Article 17.03(b), or a bond schedule |
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adopted or a standing order entered by a judge, a magistrate shall |
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release a defendant charged with a nonviolent misdemeanor on |
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personal bond unless the release on personal bond is otherwise |
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prohibited by law or the magistrate enters a finding on the record |
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that no conditions of release are sufficient to reasonably ensure: |
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(1) the defendant's appearance in court as required; |
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and |
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(2) the safety of the community, law enforcement, and |
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the victim of the alleged offense. |
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SECTION 9. Article 17.21, Code of Criminal Procedure, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Art. 17.21. BAIL IN FELONY. (a) In cases of felony, when |
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the accused is in custody of the sheriff or other officer, and the |
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court before which the prosecution is pending is in session in the |
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county where the accused is in custody, the court shall fix the |
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amount of bail, if it is a bailable case and determine if the |
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accused is eligible for a personal bond; and the sheriff or other |
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peace officer, unless it be the police of a city, or a jailer |
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licensed under Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, is authorized to |
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take a bail bond of the accused in the amount as fixed by the court, |
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to be approved by such officer taking the same, and will thereupon |
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discharge the accused from custody. The defendant and the |
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defendant's sureties are not required to appear in court. |
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(b) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a magistrate may not |
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release on bail a defendant charged with an offense punishable as a |
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felony unless: |
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(1) the defendant has appeared before the magistrate; |
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and |
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(2) the magistrate has considered the public safety |
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report prepared under Article 17.022 for the defendant. |
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SECTION 10. Article 44.01(a), Code of Criminal Procedure, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The state is entitled to appeal an order of a court in a |
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criminal case if the order: |
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(1) dismisses an indictment, information, or |
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complaint or any portion of an indictment, information, or |
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complaint; |
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(2) arrests or modifies a judgment; |
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(3) grants a new trial; |
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(4) sustains a claim of former jeopardy; |
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(5) grants a motion to suppress evidence, a |
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confession, or an admission, if jeopardy has not attached in the |
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case and if the prosecuting attorney certifies to the trial court |
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that the appeal is not taken for the purpose of delay and that the |
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evidence, confession, or admission is of substantial importance in |
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the case; [or] |
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(6) is issued under Chapter 64; or |
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(7) grants bail, in an amount considered insufficient |
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by the prosecuting attorney, to a defendant who: |
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(A) is charged with an offense punishable as a |
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felony; and |
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(B) has previously been granted bail for a |
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pending offense punishable as a felony. |
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SECTION 11. Section 72.038, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows: |
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(b-1) A person who releases a defendant on bail under the |
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authority of a standing order related to bail shall complete the |
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form required under this section. |
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SECTION 12. 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 13. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |