By: Turner of Harris, et al. H.B. No. 1318
        (Senate Sponsor - Whitmire)
         (In the Senate - Received from the House May 10, 2013;
  May 10, 2013, read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal
  Justice; May 15, 2013, reported favorably by the following vote:  
  Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 15, 2013, sent to printer.)
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the appointment of counsel to represent certain youths
  and indigent defendants.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Article 26.044, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended by amending Subsection (j) and adding Subsections (j-1) and
  (j-2) to read as follows:
         (j)  A public defender's office may not accept an appointment
  under Article 26.04(f) if:
               (1)  a conflict of interest exists that has not been
  waived by the client;
               (2)  the public defender's office has insufficient
  resources to provide adequate representation for the defendant;
               (3)  the public defender's office is incapable of
  providing representation for the defendant in accordance with the
  rules of professional conduct;
               (4)  the acceptance of the appointment would violate
  the maximum allowable caseloads established at the public
  defender's office; or
               (5) [(4)]  the public defender's office shows other
  good cause for not accepting the appointment.
         (j-1)  On refusing an appointment under Subsection (j), a
  chief public defender shall file with the court a written statement
  that identifies any reason for refusing the appointment. The court
  shall determine whether the chief public defender has demonstrated
  adequate good cause for refusing the appointment and shall include
  the statement with the papers in the case.
         (j-2)  A chief public defender may not be terminated,
  removed, or sanctioned for refusing in good faith to accept an
  appointment under Subsection (j).
         SECTION 2.  Section 51.101(a), Family Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  If an attorney is appointed under Section 54.01(b-1) or
  (d) to represent a child at the initial detention hearing and the
  child is detained, the attorney shall continue to represent the
  child until the case is terminated, the family retains an attorney,
  or a new attorney is appointed by the juvenile court. Release of
  the child from detention does not terminate the attorney's
  representation.
         SECTION 3.  Section 54.01, Family Code, is amended by adding
  Subsection (b-1) and amending Subsection (d) to read as follows:
         (b-1)  Unless the court finds that the appointment of counsel
  is not feasible due to exigent circumstances, the court shall
  appoint counsel within a reasonable time before the first detention
  hearing is held to represent the child at that hearing.
         (d)  A detention hearing may be held without the presence of
  the child's parents if the court has been unable to locate them. If
  no parent or guardian is present, the court shall appoint counsel or
  a guardian ad litem for the child, subject to the requirements of
  Subsection (b-1).
         SECTION 4.  Sections 51.101(a) and 54.01, Family Code, as
  amended by this Act, apply only to a detention hearing that is held
  for a child taken into custody on or after the effective date of
  this Act.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.
 
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