| 2 | 4 | | |
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| 3 | 5 | | |
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| 4 | 6 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 7 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 8 | | relating to the reimbursement to a county for forensic science |
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| 7 | 9 | | expenses associated with certain crimes. |
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| 8 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 17, Code of Criminal Procedure, is |
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| 10 | 12 | | amended by adding Article 17.54 to read as follows: |
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| 11 | 13 | | Art. 17.54. REIMBURSEMENT TO A COUNTY FOR FORENSIC SCIENCE |
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| 12 | 14 | | ON CERTAIN FELONIES. If a defendant charged with an offense |
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| 13 | 15 | | punishable as a felony is not released on bail pending trial, the |
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| 14 | 16 | | state shall compensate the county for the cost of forensic science |
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| 15 | 17 | | expenses associated with the offense. |
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| 16 | 18 | | SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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| 17 | 19 | | to compensation to a county for the cost of a defendant's |
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| 18 | 20 | | confinement that occurs on or after January 1, 2026, regardless of |
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| 19 | 21 | | whether the defendant is confined before, on, or after that date. |
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| 20 | 22 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 21 | 23 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 22 | 24 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 23 | 25 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 24 | 26 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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