Bill > HB600

This bill amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to update procedures for identifying or releasing on personal bond criminal defendants suspected of having a mental illness or intellectual disability. The key provisions include: 1. Requiring a written report, rather than an assessment, to be provided to the magistrate with information on whether the defendant has a mental illness or intellectual disability, whether they may be incompetent to stand trial, and any recommended treatment or services. 2. Allowing the trial court to resume criminal proceedings, initiate competency proceedings, consider the report during sentencing, or refer the defendant to a specialty court after receiving the written report. 3. Requiring the Texas Judicial Council to adopt rules for reporting the number of written reports provided to the court on a monthly basis, and making the reports confidential but allowing them to be used as provided by law. 4. Reenacting and amending provisions related to the release of defendants with mental illness or intellectual disability on personal bond, requiring the magistrate to release them unless good cause is shown and requiring mental health or disability services as a condition of release in certain circumstances. The bill applies to offenses committed on or after the September 1, 2019 effective date.

Justice

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=86R&Bill=HB600