Amend CSSB 1 (house committee report) in Article IV of the bill, following the appropriations to the Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council (page IV-27), in Rider 5, Texas Indigent Defense Commission (TIDC), by adding the following appropriately lettered subsection:

____.  Report on Access to Indigent Defense in Court Proceedings of Certain Counties. Out of amounts appropriated above for Strategy D.1.1, Texas Indigent Defense Commission, the commission shall conduct a study on access to timely and effective indigent defense in court proceedings of rural and border counties in this state. The study must identify the geographic regions of this state with persistent shortages of qualified defense counsel, extended delays in indigent defense attorney appointments, inadequate language access, or excessive indigent defense attorney caseloads. Not later than December 1, 2026, the commission shall prepare and submit a report to the Legislature on the results of the study and any recommendations for legislative or other action.