The bill amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to enhance public access to criminal proceedings. Specifically, it modifies Article 1.24 to clarify that all criminal proceedings, including those under Article 15.17, must be public. Additionally, it introduces a new Article 15.1705, which allows courts that lack the physical capability for in-person public access to conduct proceedings via livestream or videoconference starting January 1, 2026. This provision ensures that the public can clearly see and hear the proceedings, while also allowing judges to impose reasonable limits on in-person attendance for safety or crowd control.

The changes outlined in this bill will only apply to criminal proceedings that begin on or after January 1, 2026, with any proceedings that start before this date continuing to be governed by the previous law. The bill is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.