HBA-RBT H.B. 2130 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2130 By: Carter Criminal Jurisprudence 4/16/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Misdemeanor cases can be a problem when the arrest is made in a county other than the county where the offense was committed. Transportation costs may exceed the fines collected for the offense. H.B. 2130 allows misdemeanor cases to be handled by the justice of the peace in the county where the arrest is made where the defendant pleads guilty or nolo contendere. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 4, Article 4.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, to authorize a defendant who is taken before a magistrate in accordance with Article 15.18, to waive a jury trial and enter a plea of guilty or nolo contendere. Authorizes the magistrate taking the plea to set a fine, give credit for time served, determine indigency, and discharge the defendant as the case may indicate. Makes conforming and nonsubstantive changes. SECTION 2. Amends Article 15.18, Code of Criminal Procedure, to make conforming and nonsubstantive changes. SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 4. Emergency clause.