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89(R) HB 1604 - House Committee Report version - Bill Text
89R24426 MCF-F
By: Bucy
H.B. No. 1604
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1604:
By: Jones of Harris
C.S.H.B. No. 1604
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to public access to criminal proceedings.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Article 1.24, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
amended to read as follows:
Art. 1.24. PUBLIC TRIAL. The proceedings
, including a
proceeding under Article 15.17,
and trials in all courts shall be
public.
SECTION 2. Chapter 15, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
amended by adding Article 15.1705 to read as follows:
Art.
15.1705.
PROCEEDINGS CONDUCTED BEFORE MAGISTRATE BY
LIVESTREAM OR VIDEOCONFERENCE.
(a) A court that as of January 1,
2026, does not have the physical capability, or is located in a
secured facility without the physical capability, to provide
in-person public access to a proceeding under Article 15.17 may
provide public access by livestream or videoconference.
The
livestream or videoconference must allow members of the public to
clearly see and hear the proceeding.
(b)
This article may not be construed as prohibiting a judge
from placing reasonable limits on in-person access to the court for
safety or to prevent overcrowding.
SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only
to a criminal proceeding that commences on or after January 1, 2026.
A criminal proceeding that commenced before January 1, 2026, is
governed by the law in effect immediately before the effective date
of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that
purpose.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.