Bill Text: TX HB792 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the presence of a spiritual leader during the execution of a person.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-02-28 - Referred to Corrections [HB792 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB792-Introduced.html
88R3893 MCF-D | ||
By: Meza | H.B. No. 792 |
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relating to the presence of a spiritual leader during the execution | ||
of a person. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Article 43.20, Code of Criminal Procedure, is | ||
amended to read as follows: | ||
Art. 43.20. PRESENT AT EXECUTION. (a) The following | ||
persons may be present at the execution: the executioner, and such | ||
persons as may be necessary to assist the executioner [ |
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conducting the execution; the Texas Board of Criminal Justice | ||
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including the prison physician, the spiritual leader [ |
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the condemned person as provided by Subsection (b), the chaplains | ||
of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice [ |
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county judge and sheriff of the county in which the Texas Department | ||
of Criminal Justice [ |
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relatives or friends of the condemned person that the person [ |
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may request, not exceeding five in number, shall be admitted. No | ||
convict shall be permitted by the prison authorities to witness the | ||
execution. | ||
(b) The Texas Department of Criminal Justice shall allow a | ||
condemned person to choose a spiritual leader of the religion that | ||
the person practices to be present at the execution, including in | ||
the room during the person's execution. | ||
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |