H.B. No. 4293
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the creation of a court reminder program for criminal
  defendants.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 75, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Subchapter J to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER J. COURT REMINDER PROGRAM
         Sec. 75.601.  ESTABLISHMENT OF STATE PROGRAM FOR
  PARTICIPATING COUNTIES. (a) The Office of Court Administration of
  the Texas Judicial System shall develop and make available to each
  county a court reminder program that allows the county to send a
  text message to notify criminal defendants of scheduled court
  appearances. The purposes of the program must include:
               (1)  reducing costs associated with defendants who fail
  to appear for a scheduled court appearance;
               (2)  improving the efficiency of courts in this state;
               (3)  reminding criminal defendants to appear at each
  scheduled court appearance; and
               (4)  reducing the number of criminal defendants who are
  confined in a county jail due solely to the defendant's failure to
  appear for a scheduled court appearance.
         (b)  The program must:
               (1)  be available to each county at no cost;
               (2)  comply with applicable state and federal laws
  requiring the consent of an individual before sending a reminder by
  text message;
               (3)  provide text message reminders for each court
  appearance of a defendant who has access to a device with the
  technological capability of receiving text messages and provides
  the court administrator with an operational phone number for the
  device;
               (4)  document each occurrence of a criminal defendant
  receiving a text message reminder;
               (5)  identify criminal defendants with scheduled court
  appearances who lack access to devices with the technological
  capability of receiving text messages;
               (6)  document the number of criminal defendants who
  fail to appear at scheduled court appearances after being sent one
  or more text message reminders;
               (7)  include the technological capability, at the
  discretion of the local administrative judge, to provide additional
  information to criminal defendants concerning scheduled court
  appearances, such as the location of the court appearance,
  available transportation options, and procedures for defendants
  who are unable to attend court appearances;
               (8)  support partnerships with local law enforcement
  agencies, local governments, and local public defenders in
  accordance with the purposes described by Subsection (a); and
               (9)  provide one or more publicly available Internet
  websites through which criminal defendants may request text
  reminders.
         Sec. 75.602.  ESTABLISHMENT OF COUNTY PROGRAMS. (a) The
  justices of the justice courts and judges of the county courts,
  statutory county courts, and district courts with jurisdiction over
  criminal cases in each county may establish a court reminder
  program that allows the county to send a text message to notify
  criminal defendants of scheduled court appearances.
         (b)  In developing the court reminder program, the justices
  and judges may join the state program developed under Section
  75.601 or develop a county program that allows the county to send
  text message notifications to criminal defendants and that complies
  with the requirements of Section 75.601(b).
         Sec. 75.603.  MUNICIPAL PROGRAM. (a) The Office of Court
  Administration of the Texas Judicial System, or the justices of the
  justice courts and judges of the county courts, statutory county
  courts, and district courts with jurisdiction over criminal cases
  in each county, may partner with municipalities and local law
  enforcement agencies to allow:
               (1)  individuals to whom a peace officer issues a
  citation and releases to receive text message reminders of
  scheduled court appearances; and
               (2)  criminal defendants in municipal court to receive
  text message reminders of scheduled court appearances.
         (b)  Any municipality that partners with the Office of Court
  Administration of the Texas Judicial System shall pay all costs of
  sending reminders to municipal criminal defendants, including the
  costs of linking the municipal court database with the state court
  administrator database.
         SECTION 2.  (a)  Not later than September 1, 2022, the Office
  of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System shall develop
  and make available the court reminder program as required by
  Section 75.601, Government Code, as added by this Act.
         (b)  The Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial
  System is required to implement a provision of this Act only if the
  legislature appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If
  the legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that
  purpose, the office may, but is not required to, implement a
  provision of this Act using other appropriations available for that
  purpose.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 4293 was passed by the House on May
  13, 2021, by the following vote:  Yeas 123, Nays 19, 1 present, not
  voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
  No. 4293 on May 28, 2021, by the following vote:  Yeas 118, Nays 25,
  2 present, not voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 4293 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on May 24, 2021, by the following vote:  Yeas 29, Nays
  1.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
   
           __________________
                Governor