S.B. No. 614 amends Section 4(h) of Article 38.01 of the Code of Criminal Procedure to enhance the authority of the Texas Forensic Science Commission. The bill allows the commission to review and refer specific cases to the office of capital and forensic writs. These cases include those that are either the subject of an investigation under certain subsections or have been dismissed by the commission with a referral to a previously published report that addresses the same subject matter.

The amendments include the insertion of new language that specifies the conditions under which cases can be referred, including the requirement for an express referral to a relevant report. The previous language that allowed for referrals without these specific conditions has been deleted. This bill is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.