HBA-SEP H.B. 2524 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2524 By: Hope Criminal Jurisprudence 4/1/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The 75th Legislature extended to courts the option, if agreed to by the defendant, to hear pleas or waivers of rights in criminal cases by means of closed circuit video teleconferencing. Since then, there has been confusion as to whether this law requires the court to keep a video tape of the proceedings. House Bill 2524 requires a transcript, rather than a recording, of a plea or waiver of rights by closed circuit video teleconferencing to be made and preserved until all appellate proceedings have been disposed. 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 2524 requires a transcript, rather than a recording, of a plea or waiver of rights by closed circuit video teleconferencing to be made and preserved until all appellate proceedings have been disposed. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.