| 6 | 4 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 7 | 5 | | relating to the provision and administration of indigent defense |
|---|
| 8 | 6 | | services. |
|---|
| 9 | 7 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 10 | 8 | | SECTION 1. Section 79.037, Government Code, is amended by |
|---|
| 11 | 9 | | amending Subsections (b) and (c) and adding Subsection (e) to read |
|---|
| 12 | 10 | | as follows: |
|---|
| 13 | 11 | | (b) The commission shall distribute funds as described |
|---|
| 14 | 12 | | [required] by Subsection (a)(2) or (e) based on the applicable [a] |
|---|
| 15 | 13 | | county's compliance with standards adopted by the board and the |
|---|
| 16 | 14 | | county's demonstrated commitment to compliance with the |
|---|
| 17 | 15 | | requirements of state law relating to indigent defense. |
|---|
| 18 | 16 | | (c) The board shall adopt policies to ensure that funds |
|---|
| 19 | 17 | | under Subsection (a)(2) or (e) are allocated and distributed [to |
|---|
| 20 | 18 | | counties] in a fair manner. |
|---|
| 21 | 19 | | (e) The commission may award a grant to an entity described |
|---|
| 22 | 20 | | by Section 791.013 that provides to a county administrative |
|---|
| 23 | 21 | | services under an interlocal contract entered into for the purpose |
|---|
| 24 | 22 | | of providing or improving the provision of indigent defense |
|---|
| 25 | 23 | | services in the county. The commission shall monitor each entity |
|---|
| 26 | 24 | | that receives a grant under this subsection and enforce compliance |
|---|
| 27 | 25 | | with the conditions of the grant in the same manner as if the grant |
|---|
| 28 | 26 | | were awarded directly to a county under Subsection (a)(2). |
|---|
| 29 | 27 | | SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 79, Government Code, is |
|---|
| 30 | 28 | | amended by adding Section 79.040 to read as follows: |
|---|
| 31 | 29 | | Sec. 79.040. INDIGENT DEFENSE INFORMATION SYSTEM. (a) By |
|---|
| 32 | 30 | | entering into an interlocal contract with one or more counties |
|---|
| 33 | 31 | | under Chapter 791, the commission may participate and assist |
|---|
| 34 | 32 | | counties in the creation, implementation, operation, and |
|---|
| 35 | 33 | | maintenance of a computerized system to be used to assist those |
|---|
| 36 | 34 | | counties in the provision and administration of indigent defense |
|---|
| 37 | 35 | | services and to be used to collect data from those counties |
|---|
| 38 | 36 | | regarding representation of indigent defendants in this state. |
|---|
| 39 | 37 | | (b) The commission may use appropriated funds to pay costs |
|---|
| 40 | 38 | | incurred under an interlocal contract described by Subsection (a), |
|---|
| 41 | 39 | | including license fees, implementation costs, maintenance and |
|---|
| 42 | 40 | | operations costs, administrative costs, and any other costs |
|---|
| 43 | 41 | | specified in the interlocal contract. |
|---|
| 44 | 42 | | (c) The commission may provide training services to |
|---|
| 45 | 43 | | counties on the use and operation of a system created, implemented, |
|---|
| 46 | 44 | | operated, or maintained by one or more counties under Subsection |
|---|
| 47 | 45 | | (a). |
|---|
| 48 | 46 | | (d) Subchapter L, Chapter 2054, does not apply to an |
|---|
| 49 | 47 | | indigent defense information system created under this section. |
|---|
| 50 | 48 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
|---|
| 49 | + | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
|---|
| 50 | + | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
|---|
| 51 | + | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1353 passed the Senate on |
|---|
| 52 | + | April 23, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0. |
|---|
| 53 | + | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 54 | + | Secretary of the Senate |
|---|
| 55 | + | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1353 passed the House on |
|---|
| 56 | + | May 5, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 145, Nays 0, two present |
|---|
| 57 | + | not voting. |
|---|
| 58 | + | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 59 | + | Chief Clerk of the House |
|---|
| 60 | + | Approved: |
|---|
| 61 | + | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 62 | + | Date |
|---|
| 63 | + | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 64 | + | Governor |
|---|