By: Hinojosa, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Zaffirini) H.B. No. 4293          (In the Senate - Received from the House May 14, 2021;   May 14, 2021, read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal   Justice; May 22, 2021, reported favorably by the following vote:     Yeas 6, Nays 1; May 22, 2021, sent to printer.)Click here to see the committee vote     A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT     relating to the creation of a court reminder program for criminal   defendants.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Chapter 75, Government Code, is amended by   adding Subchapter J to read as follows:   SUBCHAPTER J. COURT REMINDER PROGRAM          Sec. 75.601.  ESTABLISHMENT OF STATE PROGRAM FOR   PARTICIPATING COUNTIES. (a) The Office of Court Administration of   the Texas Judicial System shall develop and make available to each   county a court reminder program that allows the county to send a   text message to notify criminal defendants of scheduled court   appearances. The purposes of the program must include:                (1)  reducing costs associated with defendants who fail   to appear for a scheduled court appearance;                (2)  improving the efficiency of courts in this state;                (3)  reminding criminal defendants to appear at each   scheduled court appearance; and                (4)  reducing the number of criminal defendants who are   confined in a county jail due solely to the defendant's failure to   appear for a scheduled court appearance.          (b)  The program must:                (1)  be available to each county at no cost;                (2)  comply with applicable state and federal laws   requiring the consent of an individual before sending a reminder by   text message;                (3)  provide text message reminders for each court   appearance of a defendant who has access to a device with the   technological capability of receiving text messages and provides   the court administrator with an operational phone number for the   device;                (4)  document each occurrence of a criminal defendant   receiving a text message reminder;                (5)  identify criminal defendants with scheduled court   appearances who lack access to devices with the technological   capability of receiving text messages;                (6)  document the number of criminal defendants who   fail to appear at scheduled court appearances after being sent one   or more text message reminders;                (7)  include the technological capability, at the   discretion of the local administrative judge, to provide additional   information to criminal defendants concerning scheduled court   appearances, such as the location of the court appearance,   available transportation options, and procedures for defendants   who are unable to attend court appearances;                (8)  support partnerships with local law enforcement   agencies, local governments, and local public defenders in   accordance with the purposes described by Subsection (a); and                (9)  provide one or more publicly available Internet   websites through which criminal defendants may request text   reminders.          Sec. 75.602.  ESTABLISHMENT OF COUNTY PROGRAMS. (a) The   judges of the county courts, statutory county courts, and district   courts with jurisdiction over criminal cases in each county shall   establish a court reminder program that allows the county to send a   text message to notify criminal defendants of scheduled court   appearances.          (b)  In developing the court reminder program, the judges may   join the state program developed under Section 75.601 or develop a   county program that allows the county to send text message   notifications to criminal defendants and that complies with the   requirements of Section 75.601(b).          Sec. 75.603.  MUNICIPAL PROGRAM. (a) The Office of Court   Administration of the Texas Judicial System, or the judges of the   county courts, statutory county courts, and district courts with   jurisdiction over criminal cases in each county, may partner with   municipalities and local law enforcement agencies to allow:                (1)  individuals to whom a peace officer issues a   citation and releases to receive text message reminders of   scheduled court appearances; and                (2)  criminal defendants in municipal court to receive   text message reminders of scheduled court appearances.          (b)  Any municipality that partners with the Office of Court   Administration of the Texas Judicial System shall pay all costs of   sending reminders to municipal criminal defendants, including the   costs of linking the municipal court database with the state court   administrator database.          SECTION 2.  Not later than September 1, 2022, the Office of   Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System and the judges of   the county courts, statutory county courts, and district courts   with jurisdiction over criminal cases in each county shall develop   and make available the court reminder program as required by   Subchapter J, Chapter 75, Government Code, as added by this Act.          SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.     * * * * *