87(R) HB 1125 - Introduced version - Bill Text
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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to certain duties of law enforcement agencies concerning |
 
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certain information subject to disclosure to a defendant. |
 
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             BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
 
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             SECTION  1.    This Act may be cited as the Richard Miles Act. |
 
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             SECTION  2.    Chapter 2, Code of Criminal Procedure, is |
 
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amended by adding Article 2.1397 to read as follows: |
 
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             Art.  2.1397.    DUTIES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY FILING CASE. |
 
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(a) In this article: |
 
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                         (1)    "Attorney representing the state" means an |
 
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attorney authorized by law to represent the state in a criminal |
 
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case, including a district attorney, criminal district attorney, |
 
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county attorney with criminal jurisdiction, or city or municipal |
 
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attorney. |
 
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                         (2)    "Law enforcement agency" means an agency of the |
 
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state or an agency of a political subdivision of the state |
 
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authorized by law to employ peace officers. |
 
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             (b)    A law enforcement agency filing a case with the attorney |
 
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representing the state shall include with the case file: |
 
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                         (1)    all documents, items, and information in the |
 
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possession of the agency that are required to be disclosed to the |
 
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defendant in the case under Article 39.14; and |
 
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                         (2)    a written statement by a peace officer employed by |
 
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the agency acknowledging that the documents, items, and information |
 
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filed with the case under Subdivision (1) constitute all of the |
 
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documents, items, and information in the possession of the agency |
 
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that are required to be disclosed to the defendant in the case under |
 
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Article 39.14. |
 
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             (c)    If at any time after the case is filed with the attorney |
 
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representing the state the law enforcement agency discovers or |
 
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acquires any additional document, item, or information required to |
 
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be disclosed to the defendant under Article 39.14, a peace officer |
 
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employed by the agency shall promptly transmit the document, item, |
 
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or information to the attorney representing the state. |
 
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             (d)    A law enforcement agency shall promptly disclose to each |
 
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attorney representing the state with whom the agency files cases |
 
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the identity of each peace officer or other employee of the agency |
 
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for whom a finding of misconduct has been sustained if that finding |
 
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would be required to be disclosed to a defendant under Article |
 
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39.14. |
 
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             SECTION  3.    This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |