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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the prosecution of certain crimes occurring in the |
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Texas Department of Criminal Justice or Texas Youth Commission. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Article 104.003(a), Code of Criminal Procedure, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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(a) In a prosecution of a criminal offense [felony] |
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committed on property owned or operated by or under contract with |
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[while the actor was a prisoner in the custody of] the Texas |
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Department of Criminal Justice or the Texas Youth Commission |
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[Corrections or a prosecution of an offense committed in the
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department by any person under Chapter 21, Acts of 55th
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Legislature, Regular Session, 1957 (Article 6184m, Vernon's Texas
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Civil Statutes), or Chapter 481, Health and Safety Code, or
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Sections 485.031 through 485.035, Health and Safety Code], the |
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state shall reimburse the county for expenses incurred by the |
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county, in an amount that the court determines to be reasonable, for |
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payment of: |
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(1) salaries and expenses of foreign language |
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interpreters and interpreters for deaf persons whose services are |
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necessary to the prosecution; |
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(2) consultation fees of experts whose assistance is |
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directly related to the prosecution; |
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(3) travel expenses for witnesses; |
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(4) expenses for the food, lodging, and compensation |
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of jurors; |
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(5) compensation of witnesses; |
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(6) the cost of preparation of a statement of facts and |
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a transcript of the trial for purposes of appeal; |
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(7) if the death of a person is an element of the |
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offense, expenses of an inquest relating to the death; |
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(8) food, lodging, and travel expenses incurred by the |
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prosecutor's staff during travel essential to the prosecution of |
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the offense; |
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(9) court reporter's fees; and |
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(10) the cost of special security officers. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter G, Chapter 61, Human Resources Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 61.098 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.098. PROSECUTION OF CERTAIN CRIMES OCCURRING AT |
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COMMISSION FACILITY. In a county in which property owned or |
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operated by or under contract with the commission is located, the |
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district attorney, criminal district attorney, or county attorney |
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performing the duties of a district attorney, as appropriate, may |
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request that the special prosecution unit prosecute an offense |
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described under Article 104.003(a), Code of Criminal Procedure, |
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that is committed on that property. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |