Bill > HB2662

This bill establishes strict new requirements for issuing no-knock warrants (a type of search warrant that allows law enforcement to enter a premises without announcing their presence) in Texas, which can only be authorized by a magistrate who is a licensed attorney serving in the county or a contiguous county where the warrant will be executed. The bill specifies that no-knock warrants can only be issued for violent offenses when there is probable cause that a standard entry would create an unreasonable risk of death, serious bodily injury, or evidence destruction. Additionally, the warrant must require all participating officers to be in uniform or clearly identifiable and, if the agency has the technology, equipped with body-worn cameras that must be activated before entry and remain on for 15 minutes after securing the premises or until the officers leave. If a non-attorney magistrate issues such a warrant, the applicant must first demonstrate that they attempted but failed to find a licensed attorney magistrate. The changes will apply only to warrants issued on or after September 1, 2025, with previously issued warrants governed by the existing law at the time of their issuance.

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https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB2662