Bill Text: TX SB1521 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to recording certain criminal proceedings.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-03-20 - Referred to Criminal Justice [SB1521 Detail]

Download: Texas-2017-SB1521-Introduced.html
  85R12181 SMT-F
 
  By: Rodríguez S.B. No. 1521
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to recording certain criminal proceedings.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Articles 15.17(a) and (f), Code of Criminal
  Procedure, are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  In each case enumerated in this Code, the person making
  the arrest or the person having custody of the person arrested shall
  without unnecessary delay, but not later than 48 hours after the
  person is arrested, take the person arrested or have him taken
  before some magistrate of the county where the accused was arrested
  or, to provide more expeditiously to the person arrested the
  warnings described by this article, before a magistrate in any
  other county of this state.  The arrested person may be taken before
  the magistrate in person or the image of the arrested person may be
  presented to the magistrate by means of a videoconference [an
  electronic broadcast system].  The magistrate shall inform in clear
  language the person arrested, either in person or through a
  videoconference [the electronic broadcast system], of the
  accusation against him and of any affidavit filed therewith, of his
  right to retain counsel, of his right to remain silent, of his right
  to have an attorney present during any interview with peace
  officers or attorneys representing the state, of his right to
  terminate the interview at any time, and of his right to have an
  examining trial.  The magistrate shall also inform the person
  arrested of the person's right to request the appointment of
  counsel if the person cannot afford counsel.  The magistrate shall
  inform the person arrested of the procedures for requesting
  appointment of counsel.  If the person does not speak and understand
  the English language or is deaf, the magistrate shall inform the
  person in a manner consistent with Articles 38.30 and 38.31, as
  appropriate.  The magistrate shall ensure that reasonable
  assistance in completing the necessary forms for requesting
  appointment of counsel is provided to the person at the same time.  
  If the person arrested is indigent and requests appointment of
  counsel and if the magistrate is authorized under Article 26.04 to
  appoint counsel for indigent defendants in the county, the
  magistrate shall appoint counsel in accordance with Article 1.051.  
  If the magistrate is not authorized to appoint counsel, the
  magistrate shall without unnecessary delay, but not later than 24
  hours after the person arrested requests appointment of counsel,
  transmit, or cause to be transmitted to the court or to the courts'
  designee authorized under Article 26.04 to appoint counsel in the
  county, the forms requesting the appointment of counsel.  The
  magistrate shall also inform the person arrested that he is not
  required to make a statement and that any statement made by him may
  be used against him.  The magistrate shall allow the person arrested
  reasonable time and opportunity to consult counsel and shall, after
  determining whether the person is currently on bail for a separate
  criminal offense, admit the person arrested to bail if allowed by
  law. A record [recording] of the communication between the
  arrested person and the magistrate shall be made.  The record
  [recording] shall be preserved until the earlier of the following
  dates:  (1) the date on which the pretrial hearing ends; or (2) the
  91st day after the date on which the record [recording] is made if
  the person is charged with a misdemeanor or the 120th day after the
  date on which the record [recording] is made if the person is
  charged with a felony.  The counsel for the defendant may obtain a
  copy of an electronic [the] recording, if an electronic recording
  was created, on payment of a reasonable amount to cover costs of
  reproduction.  For purposes of this subsection, "videoconference"
  ["electronic broadcast system"] means a two-way electronic
  communication of image and sound between the arrested person and
  the magistrate and includes secure Internet videoconferencing.
         (f)  A record required under Subsection (a) or (e) may
  consist of written forms, electronic recordings, or other
  documentation as authorized by procedures adopted in the county
  under Article 26.04(a).
         SECTION 2.  The heading to Article 27.18, Code of Criminal
  Procedure, is amended to read as follows:
         Art. 27.18.  PLEA OR WAIVER OF RIGHTS BY VIDEOCONFERENCE
  [CLOSED CIRCUIT VIDEO TELECONFERENCING].
         SECTION 3.  Articles 27.18(a) and (b), Code of Criminal
  Procedure, are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  Notwithstanding any provision of this code requiring
  that a plea or a waiver of a defendant's right be made in open court,
  a court may accept the plea or waiver by videoconference [broadcast
  by closed circuit video teleconferencing] to the court if:
               (1)  the defendant and the attorney representing the
  state file with the court written consent to the use of
  videoconference [closed circuit video teleconferencing];
               (2)  the videoconference [closed circuit video
  teleconferencing system] provides for a simultaneous, compressed
  full motion video, and interactive communication of image and sound
  between the judge, the attorney representing the state, the
  defendant, and the defendant's attorney; and
               (3)  on request of the defendant, the defendant and the
  defendant's attorney are able to communicate privately without
  being recorded or heard by the judge or the attorney representing
  the state.
         (b)  On motion of the defendant or the attorney representing
  the state or in the court's discretion, the court may terminate an
  appearance by videoconference [closed circuit video
  teleconferencing] at any time during the appearance and require an
  appearance by the defendant in open court.
         SECTION 4.  Article 27.18(c), Code of Criminal Procedure, as
  amended by Chapters 1341 (S.B. 1233) and 1031 (H.B. 2847), Acts of
  the 82nd Legislature, Regular Session, 2011, is reenacted and
  amended to read as follows:
         (c)  A record of the communication shall be made by a court
  reporter or by electronic recording and preserved by the court
  reporter or by electronic recording until all appellate proceedings
  have been disposed of. A court reporter or court recorder is not
  required to transcribe or make a duplicate electronic [separate]
  recording of a plea taken under this article unless an appeal is
  taken in the case and a party requests a transcript.
         SECTION 5.  Article 27.18(c-1), Code of Criminal Procedure,
  as added by Chapter 1341 (S.B. 1233), Acts of the 82nd Legislature,
  Regular Session, 2011, is amended to read as follows:
         (c-1)  The defendant may obtain a copy of an electronic [a]
  recording, if an electronic recording was created, [made under
  Subsection (c)] on payment of a reasonable amount to cover the costs
  of reproduction or, if the defendant is indigent, the court shall
  provide a copy to the defendant without charging a cost for the
  copy.
         SECTION 6.  Articles 27.18(c-2) and (d), Code of Criminal
  Procedure, are amended to read as follows:
         (c-2)  The loss or destruction of or failure to create a
  court record or an electronic [make a video] recording of a plea
  entered under this article is not alone sufficient grounds for a
  defendant to withdraw the defendant's plea or to request the court
  to set aside a conviction, sentence, or plea.
         (d)  A defendant who is confined in a county other than the
  county in which charges against the defendant are pending may use
  the videoconference [teleconferencing] method provided by this
  article or by [the electronic broadcast system authorized in]
  Article 15.17 to enter a plea or waive a right in the court with
  jurisdiction over the case.
         SECTION 7.  Article 27.18(c-1), Code of Criminal Procedure,
  as added by Chapter 1031 (H.B. 2847), Acts of the 82nd Legislature,
  Regular Session, 2011, is repealed.
         SECTION 8.  Article 15.17, Code of Criminal Procedure, as
  amended by this Act, applies to an arrested person brought before a
  magistrate on or after the effective date of this Act, regardless of
  whether the offense for which the person was arrested was committed
  before, on, or after that date.
         SECTION 9.  Article 27.18, Code of Criminal Procedure, as
  amended by this Act, applies to a plea of guilty or nolo contendere
  entered on or after the effective date of this Act, regardless of
  whether the offense with reference to which the plea is entered is
  committed before, on, or after that date.
         SECTION 10.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
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