TITLE: Relating to the adoption of a schedule of fees for the compensation of court-appointed defense counsel in criminal cases.

SUMMARY: Relating to the adoption of a schedule of fees for the compensation of court-appointed defense counsel in criminal cases.

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to the adoption of a schedule of fees for the compensation of court-appointed defense counsel in criminal cases. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Article 26.05(b), Code of Criminal Procedure, is amended to read as follows: (b) All payments made under this article shall be paid in accordance with a schedule of fees adopted by formal action of the judges of the county courts, statutory county courts, and district courts trying criminal cases in each county. A [On adoption of a] schedule of fees adopted as provided by this subsection must be delivered to the commissioners court of the county not later than the 90th day before the first day of the county's next fiscal year and, if delivered to the commissioners court on or before that 90th day, takes effect on that first day of the next fiscal year. Otherwise, the schedule of fees takes effect on the first day of the next fiscal year that begins at least 90 days after the date of delivery [ a copy of the schedule shall be sent to the commissioners court of the county].SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only to the adoption of a schedule of fees that will take effect on or after January 1, 2016. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.