Bill Text: TX SB1690 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to the release of a criminal defendant on partial bail and to the procedures governing a cash bond.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-03-23 - Referred to Criminal Justice [SB1690 Detail]

Download: Texas-2015-SB1690-Introduced.html

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84R656 KEL-D
By: Ellis S.B. No. 1690

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the release of a criminal defendant on partial bail and
to the procedures governing a cash bond.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Article 17.02, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
amended to read as follows:
Art. 17.02. DEFINITION OF "BAIL BOND"; CASH BOND
AUTHORIZED. (a) A "bail bond" is a written undertaking entered
into by the defendant and the defendant's sureties for the
appearance of the principal therein before a court or magistrate to
answer a criminal accusation; provided, however, that the defendant
on execution of the bail bond may deposit with the custodian of
funds of the court in which the prosecution is pending current money
of the United States in the amount of the bond, or in a lesser amount
as provided by Article 17.026, in lieu of having sureties signing
the same.
(b) Any cash funds deposited under this article or Article
17.026 shall be receipted for by the officer receiving those [the]
funds. The officer shall deposit the funds in an interest-bearing
account established for purposes of this subsection. Interest on
the amount in the account may be retained by the county to cover the
costs of administering this subsection. In addition, the county
may impose a fee, not to exceed 10 percent of the amount deposited,
to cover those administrative costs.
(c) After [and, on order of the court, be refunded, after]
the defendant complies with the conditions of the defendant's bond
and on order of the court, the officer shall refund the amount
deposited, less any amount retained under Subsection (b) as an
administrative fee, to:
(1) any person in the name of whom a receipt was
issued, in the amount reflected on the face of the receipt,
including the defendant if a receipt was issued to the defendant; or
(2) the defendant, if no other person is able to
produce a receipt for the funds.
SECTION 2. Chapter 17, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
amended by adding Article 17.026 to read as follows:
Art. 17.026. RELEASE ON BAIL IN PARTIAL AMOUNT. (a) A
magistrate may release a defendant on bail by permitting the
defendant to deposit an amount of cash bond or to submit a surety
bond in an amount that is less than the total amount of bail set in
the case if the magistrate determines that requiring the defendant
to deposit a cash bond or to procure a surety bond in the full amount
of bail will impose an unreasonable hardship on the defendant.
(b) Only the court before whom the case is pending may
release a defendant under this article if the defendant is a
defendant described by Article 17.03(b).
(c) A magistrate who releases a defendant under this article
may impose any conditions on the release that the magistrate could
impose if the defendant were released on personal bond.
(d) A release on bail in a partial amount is not a reduction
in bail for purposes of Article 17.091.
SECTION 3. Sections 41.258(b) and (f), Government Code, are
amended to read as follows:
(b) A court, judge, magistrate, peace officer, or other
officer taking a cash or surety [bail] bond for an offense other
than a misdemeanor punishable by fine only under Chapter 17, Code of
Criminal Procedure, shall require the payment of a $15 cost by each
person [surety] posting the cash or surety [bail] bond, as
applicable, provided the cost does not exceed $30 for all bail bonds
posted at that time for an individual and the cost is not required
on the posting of a personal [or cash] bond.
(f) A person [surety] paying a cost under Subsection (b) may
apply for and is entitled to a refund of the cost not later than the
181st day after the date the state declines to prosecute an
individual or the grand jury declines to indict an individual.
SECTION 4. Section 103.027(a), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) Fees and costs shall be paid or collected under the
Government Code as follows:
(1) filing a certified copy of a judicial finding of
fact and conclusion of law if charged by the secretary of state
(Sec. 51.905, Government Code) . . . $15;
(2) cost paid for [by] each cash or surety [posting the
bail] bond for an offense other than a misdemeanor punishable by
fine only under Chapter 17, Code of Criminal Procedure, for the
assistant prosecutor supplement fund and the fair defense account
(Sec. 41.258, Government Code) . . . $15, provided the cost does
not exceed $30 for all bail bonds posted at that time for an
individual and the cost is not required on the posting of a personal
[or cash] bond;
(3) to participate in a court proceeding in this
state, a nonresident attorney fee (Sec. 82.0361, Government Code)
. . . $250 except as waived or reduced under supreme court rules for
representing an indigent person; and
(4) on a party's appeal of a final decision in a
contested case, the cost of preparing the original or a certified
copy of the record of the agency proceeding, if required by the
agency's rule, as a court cost (Sec. 2001.177, Government Code)
. . . as assessed by the court, all or part of the cost of
preparation.
SECTION 5. The change in law made by this Act applies only
to a bail bond that is executed on or after the effective date of
this Act. A bail bond executed before the effective date of this
Act is governed by the law in effect when the bail bond was
executed, and the former law is continued in effect for that
purpose.
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.