Bill Text: TX HB417 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Enrolled

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Bill Title: Relating to claims for compensation for wrongful imprisonment and group health benefits coverage for persons wrongfully imprisoned.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-2)

Status: (Passed) 2011-06-17 - Effective immediately [HB417 Detail]

Download: Texas-2011-HB417-Enrolled.html

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H.B. No. 417

AN ACT
relating to claims for compensation for wrongful imprisonment and
group health benefits coverage for persons wrongfully imprisoned
.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. The heading to Subchapter A, Chapter 103, Civil
Practice and Remedies Code, is amended to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER A. ELIGIBILITY; NOTICE OF ELIGIBILITY [AND CHOICE OF
COMPENSATION METHOD]
SECTION 2. Section 103.001, Civil Practice and Remedies
Code, is amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections
(d) and (e) to read as follows:
(a) A person is entitled to compensation if:
(1) the person has served in whole or in part a
sentence in prison under the laws of this state; and
(2) the person:
(A) has received a full pardon on the basis of
innocence for the crime for which the person was sentenced; [or]
(B) has been granted relief in accordance with a
writ of habeas corpus that is based on a court finding or
determination that the person is actually innocent of the crime for
which the person was sentenced; or
(C) has been granted relief in accordance with a
writ of habeas corpus and:
(i) the state district court in which the
charge against the person was pending has entered an order
dismissing the charge; and
(ii) the district court's dismissal order
is based on a motion to dismiss in which the state's attorney states
that no credible evidence exists that inculpates the defendant and,
either in the motion or in an affidavit, the state's attorney states
that the state's attorney believes that the defendant is actually
innocent of the crime for which the person was sentenced [on the
basis of actual innocence of the crime for which the person was
sentenced].
(d) Subject to this section, a person entitled to
compensation under Subsection (a) is also eligible to obtain group
health benefit plan coverage through the Texas Department of
Criminal Justice as if the person were an employee of the
department. This subsection does not entitle the person's spouse
or other dependent or family member to group health benefit plan
coverage. Coverage may be obtained under this subsection for a
period of time equal to the total period the claimant served for the
crime for which the claimant was wrongfully imprisoned, including
any period during which the claimant was released on parole or to
mandatory supervision or required to register under Chapter 62,
Code of Criminal Procedure. A person who elects to obtain coverage
under this subsection shall pay a monthly contribution equal to the
total amount of the monthly contributions for that coverage for an
employee of the department.
(e) Notwithstanding Section 103.053(c), annuity payments
may be reduced by an amount necessary to make the payments required
by Subsection (d), and that amount shall be transferred to an
appropriate account as provided by the comptroller by rule to fund
that coverage.
SECTION 3. Subchapter A, Chapter 103, Civil Practice and
Remedies Code, is amended by adding Section 103.002 to read as
follows:
Sec. 103.002. NOTICE TO WRONGFULLY IMPRISONED PERSON. (a)
In this section:
(1) "Department" means the Texas Department of
Criminal Justice.
(2) "Penal institution" has the meaning assigned by
Article 62.001, Code of Criminal Procedure.
(3) "Wrongfully imprisoned person" has the meaning
assigned by Section 501.091, Government Code, as added by Chapter
1389 (S.B. 1847), Acts of the 81st Legislature, Regular Session,
2009.
(b) The department shall provide to each wrongfully
imprisoned person information, both orally and in writing, that
includes:
(1) guidance on how to obtain compensation under this
chapter; and
(2) a list of and contact information for nonprofit
advocacy groups, identified by the department, that assist
wrongfully imprisoned persons in filing claims for compensation
under this chapter.
(c) The department must provide the information required
under Subsection (b):
(1) at the time of the release of the wrongfully
imprisoned person from a penal institution; or
(2) as soon as practicable after the department has
reason to believe that the person is entitled to compensation under
Section 103.001(a).
SECTION 4. Section 103.003, Civil Practice and Remedies
Code, is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 103.003. LIMITATION ON TIME TO FILE. A person seeking
compensation under this chapter must file an application with the
comptroller for compensation under Subchapter B not [Not] later
than the third anniversary of the date:
(1) the person on whose imprisonment the claim is
based received a [the] pardon as provided by Section
103.001(a)(2)(A);
(2) the person's application for a writ of habeas
corpus was granted as provided by Section 103.001(a)(2)(B); or
(3) an order of dismissal described by Section
103.001(a)(2)(C) was signed [was granted relief as required by
Section 103.001, a person seeking compensation under this chapter
must file an application with the comptroller for compensation
under Subchapter B].
SECTION 5. Section 103.051, Civil Practice and Remedies
Code, is amended by amending Subsections (a), (b-1), and (d) and
adding Subsection (f) to read as follows:
(a) To apply for compensation under this subchapter, the
claimant must file with the comptroller's judiciary section:
(1) an application for compensation provided for that
purpose by the comptroller;
(2) a verified copy of the pardon, [or] court order,
motion to dismiss, and affidavit, as applicable, justifying the
application for compensation;
(3) a statement provided by the Texas Department of
Criminal Justice and any county or municipality that incarcerated
the person on whose imprisonment the claim is based in connection
with the relevant sentence verifying the length of incarceration;
(4) if applicable, a statement from the Department of
Public Safety verifying registration as a sex offender and length
of registration;
(5) if applicable, a statement from the Texas
Department of Criminal Justice verifying the length of time spent
on parole; and
(6) if the claimant is applying for compensation under
Section 103.052(a)(2), a certified copy of each child support order
under which child support payments became due during the time the
claimant served in prison and copies of the official child support
payment records described by Section 234.009, Family Code, for that
period.
(b-1) In determining the eligibility of a claimant, the
comptroller shall consider only the verified copies of documents
[copy of the pardon or court order] filed [by the claimant] under
Subsection (a)(2) [(a)]. If the filed documents do [pardon or
court order does] not clearly indicate on their [its] face that the
person is entitled to compensation under Section 103.001(a)(2)
[pardon or the court order was granted or rendered on the basis of
the claimant's actual innocence of the crime for which the claimant
was sentenced], the comptroller shall deny the claim. The
comptroller's duty to determine the eligibility of a claimant under
this section is purely ministerial.
(d) If the comptroller denies the claim, the comptroller
must state the reason for the denial. Not later than the 30th
[10th] day after the date the denial is received, the claimant must
submit an application to cure any problem identified. Not later
than the 45th day after the date an application is received under
this subsection, the comptroller shall determine the claimant's
eligibility and the amount owed.
(f) To apply for coverage through the Texas Department of
Criminal Justice under Section 103.001(d), the claimant must file
with the department:
(1) an application for coverage provided for that
purpose by the department; and
(2) a statement by the comptroller that the
comptroller has determined the claimant to be eligible for
compensation under this subchapter.
SECTION 6. Section 103.054, Civil Practice and Remedies
Code, is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 103.054. PAYMENT OF CERTAIN TUITION AND FEES. If
requested by the claimant before the seventh anniversary of the
relevant date described by Section 103.003 [the claimant received
the pardon or was granted relief as required by Section 103.001],
tuition for up to 120 credit hours, including tuition charged under
Section 54.0513, Education Code, or any other law granting an
educational institution discretion to set the tuition rate, and any
mandatory fees associated with attendance at the institution,
charged by a career center or public institution of higher
education shall be paid on behalf of the claimant.
SECTION 7. Chapter 103, Civil Practice and Remedies Code,
is amended by adding Subchapter C to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER C. FEES
Sec. 103.101. FEES LIMITED; PREREQUISITES TO FEE AGREEMENT.
(a) A person, including an attorney, may not charge or collect a
fee for preparing, filing, or curing a claimant's application under
Section 103.051 unless the fee is based on a reasonable hourly rate.
(b) An attorney may enter into a fee agreement with a
claimant for services related to an application under Section
103.051 only after the attorney has disclosed in writing to the
claimant the hourly rate that will be charged for the services.
(c) An attorney may not collect a fee for preparing, filing,
or curing a claimant's application under Section 103.051 before a
final determination is made by the comptroller that the claimant is
eligible or ineligible for compensation under this chapter.
Sec. 103.102. SUBMISSION OF FEE REPORT. (a) Together with
an application for compensation under this chapter or not later
than the 14th day after the date the application or cured
application is filed, a person seeking payment for preparing,
filing, or curing the application must file a fee report with the
comptroller's judiciary section.
(b) A fee report under this section must include:
(1) the total dollar amount sought for fees;
(2) the number of hours the person worked preparing,
filing, or curing the application; and
(3) the name of the applicant.
(c) A fee report under this section is public information
subject to Chapter 552, Government Code.
SECTION 8. Section 501.091, Government Code, as added by
Chapter 1389 (S.B. 1847), Acts of the 81st Legislature, Regular
Session, 2009, is amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding
Subsection (d) to read as follows:
(a) In this section, "wrongfully imprisoned person" means a
person who:
(1) has served in whole or in part a sentence in a
facility operated by or under contract with the department; and
(2) has:
(A) received a pardon for innocence for the crime
for which the person was sentenced; [or]
(B) been granted relief in accordance with a writ
of habeas corpus that is based on a court finding or determination
that the person is actually innocent of the crime for which the
person was sentenced; or
(C) been granted relief in accordance with a writ
of habeas corpus and:
(i) the state district court in which the
charge against the person was pending has entered an order
dismissing the charge; and
(ii) the district court's dismissal order
is based on a motion to dismiss in which the state's attorney states
that no credible evidence exists that inculpates the defendant and,
either in the motion or in an affidavit, the state's attorney states
that the state's attorney believes that the defendant is actually
innocent of the crime for which the person was sentenced [otherwise
been granted relief on the basis of actual innocence of the crime
for which the person was sentenced].
(d) The department shall provide information to wrongfully
imprisoned persons as required by Section 103.002, Civil Practice
and Remedies Code.
SECTION 9. Subchapter C, Chapter 1551, Insurance Code, is
amended by adding Section 1551.115 to read as follows:
Sec. 1551.115. PARTICIPATION BY WRONGFULLY IMPRISONED
PERSONS. Subject to Section 103.001, Civil Practice and Remedies
Code, a person who is entitled to compensation under Chapter 103,
Civil Practice and Remedies Code, is eligible to obtain health
benefit plan coverage under the group benefits program in the
manner and to the extent that an employee of the Texas Department of
Criminal Justice would be entitled to coverage, except that this
section does not entitle the person's spouse or other dependent or
family member to coverage.
SECTION 10. Section 501.091(a), Government Code, as added
by Chapter 180 (H.B. 1736), Acts of the 81st Legislature, Regular
Session, 2009, is repealed.
SECTION 11. Section 103.001(a)(2)(C), Civil Practice and
Remedies Code, as added by this Act, applies to a person who has
received an order of dismissal signed on or after September 1, 2009.
SECTION 12. Sections 103.001(d) and (e) and 103.051(f),
Civil Practice and Remedies Code, and Section 1551.115, Insurance
Code, as added by this Act, apply to a person the comptroller of
public accounts has determined to be eligible for compensation as
provided by Section 103.051(b), Civil Practice and Remedies Code,
on or after September 1, 2011.
SECTION 13. Subchapter C, Chapter 103, Civil Practice and
Remedies Code, as added by this Act, applies only to an attorney's
fee agreement entered into on or after January 1, 2012. An
attorney's fee agreement entered into before January 1, 2012, is
governed by the law as it existed immediately before the effective
date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for that
purpose.
SECTION 14. This Act takes effect immediately if it
receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each
house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.
If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate
effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2011.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 417 was passed by the House on April
26, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 146, Nays 0, 2 present, not
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
No. 417 on May 21, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 143, Nays 0, 2
present, not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 417 was passed by the Senate, with
amendments, on May 18, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays
1.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: __________________
Date
__________________
Governor