H.B. No. 1650 proposes an amendment to Article 22.17(a) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, extending the time frame for filing a special bill of review regarding a final judgment of bail bond forfeiture from two years to four years. This special bill allows the surety on the bond to request, on equitable grounds, that the final judgment be reformed and that all or part of the bond amount be remitted, after deducting court costs, reasonable costs for the return of the principal, and accrued interest on the bond amount from the date of forfeiture. The court retains discretion to grant or deny the bill in whole or in part.

The bill specifies that the amended provisions will only apply to bail bonds for which a final judgment of forfeiture is entered on or after the effective date of the Act, which is set for September 1, 2025. Any bail bonds with final judgments entered before this date will continue to be governed by the previous law in effect at that time.