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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a limitation on public access by livestream or |
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videoconference to certain criminal proceedings involving |
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evidence depicting an act of a sexual nature. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 1, Code of Criminal Procedure, is |
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amended by adding Article 1.245 to read as follows: |
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Art. 1.245. LIMITATION ON PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE LIVESTREAM IN |
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CERTAIN PROCEEDINGS. A court may not allow public access by |
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livestream or videoconference to any portion of a proceeding or |
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trial in which evidence depicting an act of a sexual nature is |
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presented unless: |
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(1) the court before the applicable portion of the |
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proceeding or trial provides notice to the victim or guardian of the |
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victim, the attorney representing the state, and the defendant that |
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the evidence will be publicly accessible by livestream or |
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videoconference; and |
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(2) the victim or guardian of the victim, the attorney |
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representing the state, and the defendant each consent to allowing |
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public access by livestream or videoconference to that portion of |
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the proceeding or trial. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to a criminal proceeding that commences on or after the effective |
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date of this Act. A criminal proceeding that commenced before the |
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effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the |
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date the proceeding commenced, and the former law is continued in |
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effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |