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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to design and use of a model criminal citation and an |
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addendum to the citation. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 2B, Code of Criminal |
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Procedure, is amended by adding Article 2B.0060 to read as follows: |
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Art. 2B.0060. MODEL CITATION DESIGN. (a) In this article: |
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(1) "Citation" means any summons, ticket, or other |
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official document that a peace officer issues to a person for an |
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offense punishable by fine only and that requires the person to |
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respond or appear. The term includes an electronic version of the |
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summons, ticket, or other official document. |
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(2) "Law enforcement agency" means an agency of the |
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state or an agency of a political subdivision of the state |
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authorized by law to employ peace officers. |
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(3) "Office" means the Office of Court Administration |
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of the Texas Judicial System. |
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(b) Not later than September 1 of each even-numbered year, |
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each law enforcement agency shall adopt, implement, and, as |
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necessary, amend the citation and addendum to the citation used by |
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the agency. The citation and addendum implemented by the agency |
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must conform to the model citation and addendum designed, adopted, |
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and disseminated by the office under this article. |
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(c) The office shall design, adopt, and disseminate to each |
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law enforcement agency in this state a model citation and addendum |
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to the citation for the purpose of: |
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(1) reducing costs associated with the failure of a |
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person issued a citation to appear for a scheduled court |
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appearance; |
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(2) improving the efficiency of courts in this state; |
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and |
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(3) improving the efficiency of data collection |
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required under other law. |
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(d) The model citation adopted by the office must: |
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(1) be based on credible field, academic, or |
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laboratory research; and |
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(2) be written in clear, plain language and include, |
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as applicable: |
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(A) important information at the top of the |
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citation, including: |
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(i) the date, time, and location at which a |
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person issued a citation must appear for court; |
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(ii) the offense charged and the action the |
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person issued a citation is required to take regarding the charge; |
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(iii) the consequences of missing a |
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scheduled court appearance; and |
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(iv) the phone number of the person at the |
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court who is able to provide additional information to or answer |
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questions from the person issued a citation; and |
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(B) at another location on the citation: |
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(i) information regarding what the person |
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issued a citation may expect at court, including an assurance that |
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the person will not be arrested for appearing in court for the |
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unresolved misdemeanor for which the citation was issued; |
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(ii) options to resolve the citation other |
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than appearing in court; |
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(iii) the phone number of the person issued |
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the citation; and |
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(iv) any other information, procedure, or |
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best practice that is supported by credible research or commonly |
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accepted as a means to achieve the purposes described by Subsection |
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(c). |
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(e) The model addendum to the citation adopted by the office |
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must include details: |
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(1) regarding any resources that are available to |
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assist a person issued a citation with a court appearance, |
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including resources that provide text reminders, parking details, |
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general directions to the court, transportation options, |
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child-care assistance, and rescheduling instructions; and |
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(2) for persons who are unable to afford fines or costs |
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imposed by a court, for a payment plan, payment deferral, community |
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service, and waiver or reduction of the fines or costs. |
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(f) The office shall consult with the following in designing |
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the model citation and addendum: |
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(1) the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management |
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Institute of Texas located at Sam Houston State University; |
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(2) court clerks; |
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(3) the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement; |
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(4) judges; |
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(5) public defenders; |
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(6) prosecutors; |
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(7) a behavioral science professional with expertise |
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in citation design; |
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(8) the Department of Public Safety of the State of |
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Texas; |
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(9) the Sheriffs' Association of Texas; and |
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(10) the Texas Police Chiefs Association. |
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(g) The office shall provide for a period of user testing |
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led by professionals with expertise in citations and a period of |
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public comment before adopting the model citation and addendum |
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designs. |
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(h) Not later than December 31 of each odd-numbered year, |
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the office shall: |
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(1) review the model citation and addendum adopted |
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under this article; |
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(2) conduct user tests and report on data outcomes and |
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practices for the latest model citation and addendum; |
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(3) if appropriate, modify or update the designs; |
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(4) disseminate the designs to each law enforcement |
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agency in this state; and |
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(5) provide notice to each municipal and justice court |
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in this state of any modification or update to the model citation or |
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addendum adopted by the office. |
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SECTION 2. (a) Not later than December 31, 2025, the Office |
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of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System shall design, |
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adopt, and disseminate the model citation and addendum to the |
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citation required under Article 2B.0060, Code of Criminal |
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Procedure, as added by this Act. In disseminating the model |
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citation and addendum to the citation, the office shall provide |
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electronic notice to each municipal and justice court in this state |
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of the requirements of Article 2B.0060, Code of Criminal Procedure, |
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as added by this Act, including the date described by Subsection (b) |
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of this section by which law enforcement agencies must adopt a |
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citation and addendum to the citation. |
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(b) Not later than September 1, 2026, each law enforcement |
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agency to which Article 2B.0060, Code of Criminal Procedure, as |
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added by this Act, applies shall adopt a citation and addendum to |
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the citation as required by that article. |
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(c) Notwithstanding Subsection (b) of this section, a law |
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enforcement agency to which Article 2B.0060, Code of Criminal |
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Procedure, as added by this Act, applies is not required to issue |
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citations and addendums to citations that comply with that article |
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until the agency has used the remainder of the citation books the |
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agency possesses. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |