HBA-SEP H.B. 1928 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1928
By: Geren
Criminal Jurisprudence
4/1/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

With the intent to allow defendants ample time to comply with court orders
for deferred disposition procedures, the 76th Legislature passed law
providing that the deferral time in such cases be 180 days. However, some
judges have found that such a time period results in defendants forgetting
to complete the requirements.  House Bill 1928 shortens, from 180 days to
90, the time period for which a judgment on a defendant's no contest or
guilty plea for a traffic offense is deferred for a defendant who elects
deferred disposition and who has not completed an approved driving safety
course within the preceding 12 months. 

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. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 1928 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to shorten, from 180
days to 90, the time period for which a judgment on a defendant's no
contest or guilty plea for a traffic offense is deferred for a defendant
who elects deferred disposition and who has not completed an approved
driving safety course within the preceding 12 months.  The bill repeals
provisions regarding deferred disposition procedures applicable to traffic
offenses.   

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.