Bill Text: TX SB463 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the exclusion of certain witnesses during a criminal proceeding.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-02-13 - Referred to Criminal Justice [SB463 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-SB463-Introduced.html
| 83R1478 JRH-D | ||
| By: Huffman | S.B. No. 463 | |
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| relating to the exclusion of certain witnesses during a criminal | ||
| proceeding. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Article 36.03, Code of Criminal Procedure, is | ||
| amended by adding Subsections (f) and (g) to read as follows: | ||
| (f) The prosecuting attorney may designate one person who is | ||
| an officer or employee of a party that is not a natural person to | ||
| serve as the state's courtroom representative during a criminal | ||
| proceeding. Notwithstanding Rule 614, Texas Rules of Evidence, a | ||
| court may not exclude under this article or that rule a person who | ||
| has been designated as a courtroom representative under this | ||
| subsection unless the person is a law enforcement officer who | ||
| violates Subsection (g). | ||
| (g) A law enforcement officer who is designated as the | ||
| state's courtroom representative under Subsection (f) may not wear | ||
| a law enforcement uniform or badge while serving as that | ||
| representative. | ||
| SECTION 2. Under the terms of Section 22.109(b), Government | ||
| Code, Rule 614, Texas Rules of Evidence, is disapproved to the | ||
| extent that Rule 614 permits the exclusion of a witness who is | ||
| designated by the prosecuting attorney as the state's courtroom | ||
| representative in a criminal case from hearing the testimony of | ||
| other witnesses in the case. | ||
| SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies to a | ||
| criminal proceeding that commences on or after the effective date | ||
| of this Act. A criminal proceeding that commences before the | ||
| effective date of this Act is covered by the law in effect when the | ||
| proceeding commenced, and the former law is continued in effect for | ||
| that purpose. | ||
| SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. | ||
