Bill Text: TX HB1173 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Enrolled


Bill Title: Relating to the release on bond of certain persons arrested for a misdemeanor without a warrant in certain counties.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)

Status: (Passed) 2011-06-17 - Effective on 9/1/11 [HB1173 Detail]

Download: Texas-2011-HB1173-Enrolled.html
 
 
  H.B. No. 1173
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the release on bond of certain persons arrested for a
  misdemeanor without a warrant in certain counties.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Article 17.033, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended by adding Subsections (a-1) and (e) and amending
  Subsections (c) and (d) to read as follows:
         (a-1)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a) and except as provided
  by Subsection (c), a person who, in a county with a population of
  three million or more, is arrested without a warrant and who is
  detained in jail must be released on bond, in an amount not to
  exceed $5,000, not later than the 36th hour after the person's
  arrest if the person was arrested for a misdemeanor and a magistrate
  has not determined whether probable cause exists to believe that
  the person committed the offense.
         (c)  On the filing of an application by the attorney
  representing the state, a magistrate may postpone the release of a
  person under Subsection (a), (a-1), or (b) for not more than 72
  hours after the person's arrest. An application filed under this
  subsection must state the reason a magistrate has not determined
  whether probable cause exists to believe that the person committed
  the offense for which the person was arrested.
         (d)  The time limits imposed by Subsections (a), (a-1), and
  (b) do not apply to a person arrested without a warrant who is taken
  to a hospital, clinic, or other medical facility before being taken
  before a magistrate under Article 15.17. For a person described by
  this subsection, the time limits imposed by Subsections (a), (a-1),
  and (b) begin to run at the time, as documented in the records of the
  hospital, clinic, or other medical facility, that a physician or
  other medical professional releases the person from the hospital,
  clinic, or other medical facility.
         (e)  Subsection (a-1) and this subsection expire on
  September 1, 2013.
         SECTION 2.  Chapter 17, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended by adding Article 17.0331 to read as follows:
         Art. 17.0331.  IMPACT STUDY. (a) This article applies only
  to a county with a population of three million or more.
         (b)  Each county to which this article applies shall conduct
  an impact study to determine the effect of Article 17.033(a-1) on
  the county's ability to control and process the county's
  misdemeanor caseload, including a specific assessment of the effect
  of that subsection on:
               (1)  the average number of hours a person who is
  arrested for a misdemeanor is detained in jail before being
  released on bond;
               (2)  bonding practices, including the number of persons
  released on personal bond;
               (3)  the inmate population in a county jail and in each
  municipal jail located in the county;
               (4)  the number of arrests for misdemeanor offenses;
               (5)  public safety;
               (6)  costs to the criminal justice system; and
               (7)  the number of applications filed by the attorney
  representing the state under Article 17.033(c).
         (c)  The county shall also determine whether a more
  cost-effective method of controlling and processing misdemeanor
  caseloads exists than an extension of the period for which a person
  may be detained after a misdemeanor arrest.
         (d)  Not later than October 15, 2012, the county must file
  the impact study with:
               (1)  the commissioners court of the county;
               (2)  the Senate Committee on Criminal Justice;
               (3)  the Senate Committee on Jurisprudence; and
               (4)  the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee.
         (e)  The county shall make the results of the impact study
  available to the public.
         (f)  This article expires on September 1, 2013.
         SECTION 3.  The change in law made by this Act in amending
  Article 17.033, Code of Criminal Procedure, applies only to a
  person arrested for an offense committed on or after the effective
  date of this Act. A person arrested for an offense committed before
  the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on
  the date the offense was committed, and the former law is continued
  in effect for that purpose. For purposes of this section, an
  offense was committed before the effective date of this Act if any
  element of the offense occurred before that date.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 1173 was passed by the House on April
  7, 2011, by the following vote:  Yeas 143, Nays 1, 1 present, not
  voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
  No. 1173 on May 27, 2011, by the following vote:  Yeas 136, Nays 1,
  2 present, not voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 1173 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on May 23, 2011, by the following vote:  Yeas 22, Nays
  9.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
   
           __________________
                Governor       
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