Bill Text: TX SB1649 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Engrossed
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to the provision of funding for indigent defense services and to the representation of indigent defendants in criminal cases.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2019-05-21 - Placed on General State Calendar [SB1649 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-SB1649-Engrossed.html
Bill Title: Relating to the provision of funding for indigent defense services and to the representation of indigent defendants in criminal cases.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2019-05-21 - Placed on General State Calendar [SB1649 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-SB1649-Engrossed.html
By: Kolkhorst | S.B. No. 1649 |
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relating to assistance with the establishment, operation, and | ||
oversight of public defenders' offices and a review of certain | ||
criminal defense attorney's fees by the Texas Indigent Defense | ||
Commission. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 79, Government Code, is | ||
amended by adding Sections 79.043 and 79.044 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 79.043. ESTABLISHMENT OF PUBLIC DEFENDERS' OFFICES. | ||
(a) In this section, "public defender's office" has the meaning | ||
assigned by Article 26.044, Code of Criminal Procedure. | ||
(b) The commission shall offer financial and technical | ||
assistance to counties in the establishment, operation, and | ||
oversight of public defenders' offices. The commission shall | ||
provide ongoing financial assistance, as necessary, to ensure the | ||
continued existence of the public defenders' offices in those | ||
counties. The commission shall prioritize offering the assistance | ||
described by this subsection to counties with populations of less | ||
than 100,000, including assistance to regional public defenders' | ||
offices that serve more than one county. | ||
(c) The commission shall establish policies and standards | ||
for the operation and administration of a public defender's office. | ||
(d) Not later than November 1 of each even-numbered year, | ||
the commission shall submit to the governor and the legislature a | ||
report that includes: | ||
(1) a plan and a timeline for establishing public | ||
defenders' offices in counties with populations of less than | ||
100,000; and | ||
(2) a report on the number of public defenders' offices | ||
established with the commission's assistance under this section. | ||
Sec. 79.044. REVIEW OF ATTORNEY'S FEES. The commission | ||
shall conduct a biennial review of the schedule of fees adopted | ||
under Article 26.05, Code of Criminal Procedure, for the payment of | ||
attorneys appointed to represent an indigent defendant in criminal | ||
proceedings and the total amount of fees paid by counties to those | ||
attorneys to ensure that the attorney's fees are consistent and | ||
fair. | ||
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |