Bill > HB4221

This bill modifies the Texas Government Code to change the language around the Texas Indigent Defense Commission's policies and standards from "may" to "must", which strengthens the requirement for the Commission to develop comprehensive guidelines for providing legal representation to indigent individuals. The bill mandates that these policies and standards must now include detailed qualification standards for attorneys representing indigent defendants and parents/children in legal proceedings, such as requiring appropriate qualifications based on case complexity, successful completion of continuing legal education, and specific testing and certification standards. The guidelines must also cover caseload management, indigence determination, operation of assigned counsel and public defender programs, compensation standards for attorneys, and policies for representing children and parents in family court proceedings. The Texas Indigent Defense Commission is required to revise its existing policies to align with these new requirements, with the bill taking effect on September 1, 2025. This change aims to improve the quality and consistency of legal representation for individuals who cannot afford their own attorneys, particularly in criminal and family court cases.

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https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB4221