By: Middleton S.B. No. 2563
 
 
 
   
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the admissibility of certain evidence against a
  defendant in a criminal case.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Article 38.23, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Art. 38.23.  EXCLUSIONARY RULE [EVIDENCE NOT TO BE USED].
  (a) Notwithstanding any other law, evidence that is otherwise
  admissible may not be excluded as evidence against a defendant on
  the basis that the [No] evidence was obtained [by an officer or
  other person] in violation of any provisions of the Constitution or
  laws of the State of Texas, or of the Constitution or laws of the
  United States of America, unless:
               (1)  the evidence was intentionally obtained or
  obtained by deliberate, reckless, or grossly negligent conduct or
  by recurring or systemic negligence, in violation of the
  constitution of the United States as interpreted by the United
  States Supreme Court; and
               (2)  a ruling of the United States Supreme Court
  compels the exclusion or suppression of that evidence, and there is
  no reasonable grounds for distinguishing that ruling factually or
  legally.[shall be admitted in evidence against the accused on the
  trial of any criminal case.
         [In any case where the legal evidence raises an issue
  hereunder, the jury shall be instructed that if it believes, or has
  a reasonable doubt, that the evidence was obtained in violation of
  the provisions of this Article, then and in such event, the jury
  shall disregard any such evidence so obtained].
         (b)  Notwithstanding any other law, the attorney
  representing the state is entitled to an interlocutory appeal under
  Article 38.24 of an order under [It is an exception to the
  provisions of] Subsection (a) of this article [Article that the
  evidence was obtained by a law enforcement officer acting in
  objective good faith reliance upon a warrant issued by a neutral
  magistrate based on probable cause].
         (c)  This article may not be construed to preclude or in any
  way limit the ability of a defendant to bring an action for damages
  incurred as a result of a violation of the defendant's rights under
  the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution, as made
  applicable to the states through the United States Supreme Court's
  interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States
  Constitution, or Section 9, Article I, Texas Constitution.
         SECTION 2.  Chapter 38, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended by adding Article 38.24 to read as follows:
         Art. 38.24.  INTERLOCUTORY APPEAL. (a) Notwithstanding any
  other law, the attorney representing the state is entitled to
  interlocutory appeal directly to the Texas Court of Criminal
  Appeals from any order excluding or suppressing evidence on the
  basis that it was obtained in violation of any provisions of the
  Constitution or laws of the State of Texas, or of the Constitution
  or laws of the United States of America.
         (b)  The state may appeal under this article even if a ruling
  from the United States Supreme Court compels the exclusion or
  suppression of the disputed evidence, and the state may appeal for
  the purpose of seeking reconsideration of the United States Supreme
  Court ruling on a petition for a writ of certiorari.
         (c)  To appeal under this article, the attorney representing
  the state must:
               (1)  file a notice of appeal not later than the 14th day
  after the date of the order under Article 38.23(a); and
               (2)  if applicable, indicate in the notice of appeal
  that:
                     (A)  a ruling from the United States Supreme Court
  compels the exclusion or suppression of the disputed evidence; and
                     (B)  the appeal is taken solely for the purpose of
  seeking reconsideration of that United States Supreme Court ruling
  on a petition for a writ of certiorari.
         (d)  The filing of a notice of appeal under this article
  automatically stays the proceeding until the appeal is fully
  resolved.
         (e)  The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals shall expedite the
  consideration of any appeal under this article.
         (f)  The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals shall summarily
  affirm the order, without requesting a briefing on the merits or
  holding an oral argument, if it concludes or the attorney
  representing the state concedes that a ruling from the United
  States Supreme Court compels the exclusion or suppression of the
  disputed evidence.
         (g)  The attorney representing the state may petition for a
  writ of certiorari to the United States Supreme Court from any
  decision of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals affirming the
  exclusion or suppression of evidence. If the attorney representing
  the state petitions for a writ of certiorari, the stay of
  proceedings required by Subsection (d) remains in effect until the
  petition is finally disposed.
         SECTION 3.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
  to a criminal proceeding that commences on or after the effective
  date of this Act. A criminal proceeding that commenced before the
  effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the
  date the proceeding commenced, and the former law is continued in
  effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.