Bill Text: TX HB416 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to the appointment of attorneys representing indigent defendants in criminal proceedings.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-03-21 - No action taken in subcommittee [HB416 Detail]

Download: Texas-2023-HB416-Introduced.html
  88R3317 AJZ-D
 
  By: Collier H.B. No. 416
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the appointment of attorneys representing indigent
  defendants in criminal proceedings.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Article 26.047(a), Code of Criminal Procedure,
  is amended by amending Subdivision (2) and adding Subdivision (3)
  to read as follows:
               (2)  "Managed assigned counsel program" or "program"
  means a program operated with public funds:
                     (A)  by a governmental entity, nonprofit
  corporation, or bar association under a written agreement with a
  governmental entity, other than an individual judge or court; [and]
                     (B)  for the purpose of appointing counsel under
  Article 26.04 or 26.052 of this code or Section 51.10, Family Code;
  and
                     (C)  for the purpose of appointing or providing an
  investigator, expert, or other support services for appointed
  counsel or indigent defendants.
               (3)  "Oversight board" means an oversight board
  established under Article 26.048.
         SECTION 2.  Articles 26.047(b) and (f), Code of Criminal
  Procedure, are amended to read as follows:
         (b)  The commissioners court of any county, on written
  approval of a judge of the juvenile court of a county or a county
  court, statutory county court, or district court trying criminal
  cases in the county, may appoint a governmental entity, nonprofit
  corporation, or bar association to operate a managed assigned
  counsel program.  The commissioners courts of two or more counties
  may enter into a written agreement to jointly appoint and fund a
  governmental entity, nonprofit corporation, or bar association to
  operate a managed assigned counsel program.  In appointing an
  entity to operate a managed assigned counsel program under this
  subsection, the commissioners court shall specify or the
  commissioners courts shall jointly specify:
               (1)  the types of cases in which the program may appoint
  counsel under Article 26.04 or 26.052 of this code or Section 51.10,
  Family Code, and the courts in which the counsel appointed by the
  program may be required to appear; [and]
               (2)  the term of any agreement establishing a program
  and how the agreement may be terminated or renewed; and
               (3)  if an oversight board is established under Article
  26.048 for the managed assigned counsel program, the powers and
  duties that have been delegated to the oversight board.
         (f)  The program's public appointment list from which an
  attorney is appointed must contain the names of qualified
  attorneys, each of whom:
               (1)  applies to be included on the list;
               (2)  meets any applicable requirements specified by the
  procedures [procedure] for appointing counsel adopted under
  Article 26.04(a) or provided under Article 26.052 and any other
  requirements specified by the Texas Indigent Defense Commission;
  and
               (3)  is approved by the program director or review
  committee, as applicable.
         SECTION 3.  Chapter 26, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended by adding Article 26.048 to read as follows:
         Art. 26.048.  MANAGED ASSIGNED COUNSEL OVERSIGHT BOARD. (a)  
  The commissioners court of a county or the commissioners courts of
  two or more counties may establish an oversight board for a managed
  assigned counsel program established in accordance with this
  chapter.
         (b)  The commissioners court or courts that establish an
  oversight board under this article shall appoint members of the
  board. The following persons participating in the criminal justice
  system may not serve on the board:
               (1)  a criminal trial judge;
               (2)  a prosecutor;
               (3)  an attorney who receives appointments through the
  managed assigned counsel program; or
               (4)  a peace officer.
         (c)  The commissioners court or courts may delegate to the
  board any power or duty of the commissioners court to provide
  oversight of the program under Article 26.047, including:
               (1)  recommending selection and removal of a director;
               (2)  setting policy for the program; and
               (3)  developing a budget proposal for the program.
         (d)  An oversight board established under this article may
  not gain access to privileged or confidential communication.
         SECTION 4.  Article 26.052, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended by amending Subsections (b) and (e) and adding Subsections
  (b-1), (b-2), and (b-3) to read as follows:
         (b)  If a county is served by a public defender's office,
  trial counsel and counsel for direct appeal or to apply for a writ
  of certiorari may be appointed as provided by the guidelines
  established by the public defender's office.  [In all other cases in
  which the death penalty is sought, counsel shall be appointed as
  provided by this article.]
         (b-1)  If a county is served by a managed assigned counsel
  program, trial counsel and counsel for direct appeal or to apply for
  a writ of certiorari may be appointed as provided by the written
  plan of operation for the managed assigned counsel program.  An
  attorney appointed by a managed assigned counsel program in a death
  penalty case must be on the list of attorneys qualified for
  appointment in death penalty cases in the administrative judicial
  region in which the managed assigned counsel program operates.
         (b-2)  If a county is served by a public defender's office
  and a managed assigned counsel program, subject to Articles
  26.04(f)(1), (2), and (3), the presiding judge of the district
  court in which a capital felony is filed shall give priority in
  appointing counsel from the public defender's office.
         (b-3)  In a county not served by a public defender's office
  or a managed assigned counsel program, counsel shall be appointed
  as provided by this article in each case in which the death penalty
  is sought.
         (e)  The presiding judge of the district court in which a
  capital felony case is filed or the managed assigned counsel
  program, if authorized by this article, shall appoint two
  attorneys[, at least one of whom must be qualified under this
  chapter,] to represent an indigent defendant as soon as practicable
  after charges are filed, unless the state gives notice in writing
  that the state will not seek the death penalty. At least one of the
  attorneys must be qualified under this chapter.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
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