H.B. No. 3165
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to certain pretrial procedures in criminal cases.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Articles 15.17(a) and (f), Code of Criminal
  Procedure, are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  In each case enumerated in this Code, the person making
  the arrest or the person having custody of the person arrested shall
  without unnecessary delay, but not later than 48 hours after the
  person is arrested, take the person arrested or have him taken
  before some magistrate of the county where the accused was arrested
  or, to provide more expeditiously to the person arrested the
  warnings described by this article, before a magistrate in any
  other county of this state.  The arrested person may be taken before
  the magistrate in person or the image of the arrested person may be
  presented to the magistrate by means of a videoconference [an
  electronic broadcast system].  The magistrate shall inform in clear
  language the person arrested, either in person or through a
  videoconference [the electronic broadcast system], of the
  accusation against him and of any affidavit filed therewith, of his
  right to retain counsel, of his right to remain silent, of his right
  to have an attorney present during any interview with peace
  officers or attorneys representing the state, of his right to
  terminate the interview at any time, and of his right to have an
  examining trial.  The magistrate shall also inform the person
  arrested of the person's right to request the appointment of
  counsel if the person cannot afford counsel.  The magistrate shall
  inform the person arrested of the procedures for requesting
  appointment of counsel.  If the person does not speak and understand
  the English language or is deaf, the magistrate shall inform the
  person in a manner consistent with Articles 38.30 and 38.31, as
  appropriate.  The magistrate shall ensure that reasonable
  assistance in completing the necessary forms for requesting
  appointment of counsel is provided to the person at the same time.  
  If the person arrested is indigent and requests appointment of
  counsel and if the magistrate is authorized under Article 26.04 to
  appoint counsel for indigent defendants in the county, the
  magistrate shall appoint counsel in accordance with Article 1.051.  
  If the magistrate is not authorized to appoint counsel, the
  magistrate shall without unnecessary delay, but not later than 24
  hours after the person arrested requests appointment of counsel,
  transmit, or cause to be transmitted to the court or to the courts'
  designee authorized under Article 26.04 to appoint counsel in the
  county, the forms requesting the appointment of counsel.  The
  magistrate shall also inform the person arrested that he is not
  required to make a statement and that any statement made by him may
  be used against him.  The magistrate shall allow the person arrested
  reasonable time and opportunity to consult counsel and shall, after
  determining whether the person is currently on bail for a separate
  criminal offense, admit the person arrested to bail if allowed by
  law. A record [recording] of the communication between the
  arrested person and the magistrate shall be made.  The record
  [recording] shall be preserved until the earlier of the following
  dates:  (1) the date on which the pretrial hearing ends; or (2) the
  91st day after the date on which the record [recording] is made if
  the person is charged with a misdemeanor or the 120th day after the
  date on which the record [recording] is made if the person is
  charged with a felony.  [The counsel for the defendant may obtain a
  copy of the recording on payment of a reasonable amount to cover
  costs of reproduction.] For purposes of this subsection,
  "videoconference" ["electronic broadcast system"] means a two-way
  electronic communication of image and sound between the arrested
  person and the magistrate and includes secure Internet
  videoconferencing.
         (f)  A record required under Subsection (a) or (e) may
  consist of written forms, electronic recordings, or other
  documentation as authorized by procedures adopted in the county
  under Article 26.04(a). The counsel for the defendant may obtain a
  copy of the record on payment of a reasonable amount to cover the
  costs of reproduction or, if the defendant is indigent, the court
  shall provide a copy to the defendant without charging a cost for
  the copy.
         SECTION 2.  Article 15.21, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Art. 15.21.  RELEASE ON PERSONAL BOND [PRISONER DISCHARGED]
  IF NOT TIMELY DEMANDED. If the proper office of the county where
  the offense is alleged to have been committed does not demand an
  [the] arrested person described by Article 15.19 and take charge of
  the arrested person before the 11th day after the date the person is
  committed to the jail of the county in which the person is arrested,
  a magistrate in the county where the person was arrested shall:
               (1)  release the arrested person on personal bond
  without sureties or other security; and
               (2)  forward the personal bond to:
                     (A)  the sheriff of the county where the offense
  is alleged to have been committed; or
                     (B)  the court that issued the warrant of arrest
  [the arrested person shall be discharged from custody].
         SECTION 3.  Section 5(a), Article 17.42, Code of Criminal
  Procedure, is amended to read as follows:
         (a)  A personal bond pretrial release office established
  under this article shall:
               (1)  prepare a record containing information about any
  accused person identified by case number only who, after review by
  the office, is released by a court on personal bond before
  sentencing in a pending case;
               (2)  update the record on a monthly basis; and
               (3)  file a copy of the record with the district or
  county clerk, as applicable based on court jurisdiction over the
  categories of offenses addressed in the records, in any county
  served by the office.
         SECTION 4.  Section 6(b), Article 17.42, Code of Criminal
  Procedure, is amended to read as follows:
         (b)  In preparing an annual report under Subsection (a), the
  office shall include in the report a statement of:
               (1)  the office's operating budget;
               (2)  the number of positions maintained for office
  staff;
               (3)  the number of accused persons who, after review by
  the office, were released by a court on personal bond before
  sentencing in a pending case; and
               (4)  the number of persons described by Subdivision
  (3):
                     (A)  [who were convicted of the same offense or of
  any felony within the six years preceding the date on which charges
  were filed in the matter pending during the person's release;
                     [(B)] who failed to attend a scheduled court
  appearance;
                     (B) [(C)]  for whom a warrant was issued for the
  [person's] arrest of those persons for failure to appear in
  accordance with the terms of their [the person's] release; or
                     (C) [(D)]  who, while released on personal bond,
  were arrested for any other offense in the same county in which the
  persons were released [while] on [the personal] bond.
         SECTION 5.  The heading to Article 27.18, Code of Criminal
  Procedure, is amended to read as follows:
         Art. 27.18.  PLEA OR WAIVER OF RIGHTS BY VIDEOCONFERENCE
  [CLOSED CIRCUIT VIDEO TELECONFERENCING].
         SECTION 6.  Articles 27.18(a) and (b), Code of Criminal
  Procedure, are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  Notwithstanding any provision of this code requiring
  that a plea or a waiver of a defendant's right be made in open court,
  a court may accept the plea or waiver by videoconference [broadcast
  by closed circuit video teleconferencing] to the court if:
               (1)  the defendant and the attorney representing the
  state file with the court written consent to the use of
  videoconference [closed circuit video teleconferencing];
               (2)  the videoconference [closed circuit video
  teleconferencing system] provides for a simultaneous, compressed
  full motion video, and interactive communication of image and sound
  between the judge, the attorney representing the state, the
  defendant, and the defendant's attorney; and
               (3)  on request of the defendant, the defendant and the
  defendant's attorney are able to communicate privately without
  being recorded or heard by the judge or the attorney representing
  the state.
         (b)  On motion of the defendant or the attorney representing
  the state or in the court's discretion, the court may terminate an
  appearance by videoconference [closed circuit video
  teleconferencing] at any time during the appearance and require an
  appearance by the defendant in open court.
         SECTION 7.  Article 27.18(c), Code of Criminal Procedure, as
  amended by Chapters 1341 (S.B. 1233) and 1031 (H.B. 2847), Acts of
  the 82nd Legislature, Regular Session, 2011, is reenacted and
  amended to read as follows:
         (c)  A record of the communication shall be made by a court
  reporter or by electronic recording and preserved by the court
  reporter or by electronic recording until all appellate proceedings
  have been disposed of. A court reporter or court recorder is not
  required to transcribe or make a duplicate electronic [separate]
  recording of a plea taken under this article unless an appeal is
  taken in the case and a party requests a transcript.
         SECTION 8.  Article 27.18(c-1), Code of Criminal Procedure,
  as added by Chapter 1341 (S.B. 1233), Acts of the 82nd Legislature,
  Regular Session, 2011, is amended to read as follows:
         (c-1)  The defendant may obtain a copy of the record,
  including any electronic [a] recording, [made under Subsection (c)]
  on payment of a reasonable amount to cover the costs of reproduction
  or, if the defendant is indigent, the court shall provide a copy to
  the defendant without charging a cost for the copy.
         SECTION 9.  Articles 27.18(c-2) and (d), Code of Criminal
  Procedure, are amended to read as follows:
         (c-2)  The loss or destruction of or failure to create a
  court record or an electronic [make a video] recording of a plea
  entered under this article is not alone sufficient grounds for a
  defendant to withdraw the defendant's plea or to request the court
  to set aside a conviction, sentence, or plea.
         (d)  A defendant who is confined in a county other than the
  county in which charges against the defendant are pending may use
  the videoconference [teleconferencing] method provided by this
  article or by [the electronic broadcast system authorized in]
  Article 15.17 to enter a plea or waive a right in the court with
  jurisdiction over the case.
         SECTION 10.  Article 27.18(c-1), Code of Criminal Procedure,
  as added by Chapter 1031 (H.B. 2847), Acts of the 82nd Legislature,
  Regular Session, 2011, is repealed.
         SECTION 11.  Article 15.17, Code of Criminal Procedure, as
  amended by this Act, applies to an arrested person brought before a
  magistrate on or after the effective date of this Act, regardless of
  whether the offense for which the person was arrested was committed
  before, on, or after that date.
         SECTION 12.  Article 15.21, Code of Criminal Procedure,
  applies only to a person who is arrested on or after the effective
  date of this Act. A person arrested before the effective date of
  this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the person was
  arrested, and the former law is continued in effect for that
  purpose.
         
         SECTION 13.  Article 27.18, Code of Criminal Procedure, as
  amended by this Act, applies to a plea of guilty or nolo contendere
  entered on or after the effective date of this Act, regardless of
  whether the offense with reference to which the plea is entered is
  committed before, on, or after that date.
         SECTION 14.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 3165 was passed by the House on May 3,
  2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 145, Nays 1, 1 present, not
  voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
  No. 3165 on May 26, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 145, Nays 0,
  2 present, not voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 3165 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on May 23, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays
  0.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
   
           __________________
                Governor