The Task Force on Indigent Defense develops legislative recommendations to improve the quality of indigent defense services in the state in accordance with Section 71.061, Government Code and the Legislative Policy adopted by the Task Force.
Listed below are those bills affecting indigent defense services as determined by staff. Please note that for each bill in the list, a link exists that will direct the user to Texas Legislature Online. That site will provide the user with the text of the bill and the most current legislative status of the bill. Also, here is a link to Judicial Council Legislative Tracking.
INDIGENT DEFENSE RELATED BILLS
Bill Status Report
05-29-2009 - 09:15:04
- Action in the date range - Link to Related Information ( ) - Priority
|
HB 199 (1)
|
Alonzo |
Relating to longevity pay for assistant public defenders. |
Track Name(s): |
High Priority, Indigent Defense,High Priority, Court Costs & Collections, Other Court Actors, Indigent Defense, TJC proposals |
Bill History: |
02-12-09 H Introduced and referred to committee on House State Affairs
|
|
HB 228
|
Pitts |
Relating to a defendant's payment of the costs of legal services provided by court-appointed counsel in a criminal case. |
Track Name(s): |
Indigent Defense,High Priority, Court Costs & Collections, Indigent Defense |
Bill History: |
02-25-09 H Sent to subcommittee House Criminal Jurisprudence
|
|
HB 498
|
McClendon
Ellis
|
Relating to the creation of a commission to investigate and prevent wrongful convictions. |
Track Name(s): |
Indigent Defense,High Priority, Court of Criminal Appeals, Criminal Law & Procedure, Indigent Defense |
Bill History: |
05-27-09 S Passed (Vote: Y: 28/N: 3)
|
|
HB 2058 (1)
|
Gallego
Seliger
|
Relating to the standards for attorneys representing indigent defendants in capital cases. |
Companions: |
SB 1130 |
Seliger |
(Identical) |
|
4- 8-09 S Placed on the Senate Intent Calendar for |
|
Track Name(s): |
High Priority, Indigent Defense,High Priority, Appellate Courts, Court of Criminal Appeals, Criminal Law & Procedure, Presiding Judges Weekly Report, Indigent Defense, TJC proposals |
Bill History: |
09-01-09 G Earliest effective date
|
|
HB 3580 (1)
|
Gallego |
Relating to the establishment of the capital writs committee and the office of capital writs. |
Companions: |
SB 1091 |
Ellis |
(Identical) |
|
5-20-09 H Passed (Vote: Y:132/N: 6) |
|
Track Name(s): |
High Priority, Indigent Defense,High Priority, Appellate Courts, CVR, Court of Criminal Appeals, Criminal Law & Procedure, Presiding Judges Weekly Report, Indigent Defense |
Bill History: |
04-01-09 H Committee action pending House Criminal Jurisprudence
|
|
HB 4178
|
Christian |
Relating to the creation of the Reentry Policy Council to review corrections policies, programs, and procedures for inmates released into the community. |
Companions: |
SB 2280 |
Ellis |
(Identical) |
|
5- 4-09 S Placed on the Senate Intent Calendar for |
|
Track Name(s): |
Indigent Defense,High Priority, OCA/TJC, Indigent Defense |
Bill History: |
04-23-09 H Committee action pending House Corrections
|
|
HB 4382
|
Gallego |
Relating to standards of competency for attorneys appointed as counsel to indigent applicants in certain habeas corpus proceedings. |
Track Name(s): |
Indigent Defense,High Priority, Indigent Defense |
Bill History: |
04-09-09 H Subcommittee meeting set for 8:00 a.m., E2....House Criminal Jurisprudence
|
|
SB 498
|
Wentworth |
Relating to the release of a criminal defendant on partial bail and to the procedures governing a cash bond. |
Track Name(s): |
Indigent Defense,High Priority, Criminal Law & Procedure, JPs & Municipal Courts, Indigent Defense |
Bill History: |
04-23-09 S Meeting set for 1:30 P.M. or Adj., E1.012 Senate Criminal Justice
|
Track Name(s): |
High Priority, Indigent Defense,High Priority, Criminal Law & Procedure, Indigent Defense, TJC proposals |
Bill History: |
05-23-09 H Set on the House Calendar
|
|
SB 1091 (1)
|
Ellis
Gallego
|
Relating to the establishment of the capital writs committee and the office of capital writs. |
Companions: |
HB 3580 |
Gallego |
(Identical) |
|
4- 1-09 H Committee action pending House Criminal Jurisprudence |
|
Track Name(s): |
High Priority, Indigent Defense,High Priority, Appellate Courts, CVR, Court of Criminal Appeals, Criminal Law & Procedure, OCA/TJC, Presiding Judges Weekly Report, Indigent Defense |
Bill History: |
05-20-09 H Passed (Vote: Y:132/N: 6)
|
|
SB 1130 (1)
|
Seliger |
Relating to the standards for attorneys representing indigent defendants in capital cases. |
Companions: |
HB 2058 |
Gallego |
(Identical) |
|
9- 1-09 G Earliest effective date |
|
Track Name(s): |
High Priority, Indigent Defense,High Priority, Appellate Courts, Court of Criminal Appeals, Criminal Law & Procedure, Presiding Judges Weekly Report, Indigent Defense, TJC proposals |
Bill History: |
04-08-09 S Placed on the Senate Intent Calendar for
|
|
SB 1579
|
Harris |
Relating to the procedure for appointment of counsel for indigent defendants. |
Track Name(s): |
Indigent Defense,High Priority, Criminal Law & Procedure, Indigent Defense |
Bill History: |
03-17-09 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Criminal Justice
|
|
SB 1581
|
Harris |
Relating to the appointment of counsel to represent an indigent defendant in a capital case and to the reimbursement of certain expenses incurred by appointed counsel. |
Track Name(s): |
Indigent Defense,High Priority, Criminal Law & Procedure, Indigent Defense |
Bill History: |
03-17-09 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Criminal Justice
|
Track Name(s): |
High Priority, Indigent Defense,High Priority, Indigent Defense, TJC proposals |
Bill History: |
05-23-09 H Set on the House Calendar
|
|
SB 2162
|
Ellis
Gallego
|
Relating to the appointment of counsel for the purposes of community supervision revocation or appellate proceedings. |
Track Name(s): |
Indigent Defense,High Priority, Criminal Law & Procedure, Indigent Defense |
Bill History: |
05-23-09 H Set on the House Calendar
|
|
SB 2167 (1)
|
Ellis |
Relating to the repeal of the indigent defense representation fund. |
Track Name(s): |
High Priority, Indigent Defense,High Priority, Criminal Law & Procedure, Indigent Defense, TJC proposals |
Bill History: |
03-31-09 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Criminal Justice
|
|
SB 2280
|
Ellis |
Relating to the creation of the Reentry Policy Council to review corrections policies, programs, and procedures for inmates released into the community. |
Companions: |
HB 4178 |
Christian |
(Identical) |
|
4-23-09 H Committee action pending House Corrections |
|
Track Name(s): |
Indigent Defense,High Priority, OCA/TJC, Indigent Defense |
Bill History: |
05-04-09 S Placed on the Senate Intent Calendar for
|
|
SB 2281
|
Ellis |
Relating to the creation of a public defender subaccount in the fair defense account of the general revenue fund. |
Track Name(s): |
Indigent Defense,High Priority, Indigent Defense |
Bill History: |
03-31-09 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Finance
|
- End of Report -
Committee hearings where indigent defense funding and substantive law addressed
Links to other groups' legislative information
The Legislative Budget Board also maintains a website dedicated to
criminal justice issues, which may be viewed here.
For
information concerning legislation filed for the 81st Regular Session or
any other past session, visit the state legislature's web site at http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/.
For all other legislative inquiries, e-mail Wesley
Shackelford, Special Counsel to the Task Force, or call him at (512)
936-6997. |
Members of the Task Force who are in
the Texas State Senate and House of Representatives
Senator Jeff Wentworth
Senator John Whitmire
Chair, Senate
Criminal Justice Committee
Representative Pete Gallego, Chair, House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee
Representative
Todd Smith |