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        |  | AN ACT | 
      
        |  | relating to the courts authorized to hear certain matters relating | 
      
        |  | to a capias pro fine. | 
      
        |  | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | 
      
        |  | SECTION 1.  Article 43.05, Code of Criminal Procedure, is | 
      
        |  | amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (c)  If the court that issued the capias pro fine is | 
      
        |  | unavailable, the arresting officer may, in lieu of placing the | 
      
        |  | defendant in jail, take the defendant to: | 
      
        |  | (1)  another court in the same county with jurisdiction | 
      
        |  | over Class A and Class B misdemeanors or a county criminal law | 
      
        |  | magistrate court in the same county, if the court that issued the | 
      
        |  | capias pro fine was a county court or a statutory county court with | 
      
        |  | Class A and Class B misdemeanor jurisdiction; or | 
      
        |  | (2)  another court in the same county with jurisdiction | 
      
        |  | over felony cases or a county criminal law magistrate court in the | 
      
        |  | same county, if the court that issued the capias pro fine was a | 
      
        |  | district court with felony jurisdiction. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 2.  Article 45.045, Code of Criminal Procedure, is | 
      
        |  | amended by adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a-1)  If the court that issued the capias pro fine is | 
      
        |  | unavailable, the arresting officer may, in lieu of placing the | 
      
        |  | defendant in jail, take the defendant to: | 
      
        |  | (1)  a justice of the peace court or county criminal law | 
      
        |  | magistrate court with jurisdiction over Class C misdemeanors that | 
      
        |  | is located in the same county, if the court that issued the capias | 
      
        |  | pro fine was a justice of the peace court; or | 
      
        |  | (2)  a municipal court that is located in the same | 
      
        |  | municipality, if the court that issued the capias pro fine was a | 
      
        |  | municipal court. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 3.  Article 45.046, Code of Criminal Procedure, is | 
      
        |  | amended by adding Subsection (d) to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (d)  For purposes of a hearing described by Subsection (a), | 
      
        |  | if the court that issued the capias pro fine is unavailable, the | 
      
        |  | following judicial officers may conduct the hearing: | 
      
        |  | (1)  a justice of the peace or county criminal law | 
      
        |  | magistrate with jurisdiction over Class C misdemeanors who is | 
      
        |  | located in the same county as the issuing court, if the issuing | 
      
        |  | court was a justice of the peace court; or | 
      
        |  | (2)  a municipal court judge who is located in the same | 
      
        |  | municipality as the issuing court, if the issuing court was a | 
      
        |  | municipal court. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. | 
      
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        |  | ______________________________ | ______________________________ | 
      
        |  | President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | 
      
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        |  | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 873 passed the Senate on | 
      
        |  | April 23, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0; and that | 
      
        |  | the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 28, 2015, by the | 
      
        |  | following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 1. | 
      
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        |  | ______________________________ | 
      
        |  | Secretary of the Senate | 
      
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        |  | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 873 passed the House, with | 
      
        |  | amendment, on May 22, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 140, | 
      
        |  | Nays 0, two present not voting. | 
      
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        |  | ______________________________ | 
      
        |  | Chief Clerk of the House | 
      
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        |  | Approved: | 
      
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        |  | ______________________________ | 
      
        |  | Date | 
      
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        |  | ______________________________ | 
      
        |  | Governor |