While the legislature is not in session, there is still work to be done.

Late last month, Texas Speaker Joe Straus released the interim charges for the 81st Legislature.

Speaker Staus has tasked the standing House committees with looking into several specific issues.

Interim charges provide an opportunity for the committees to hold hearings to examine issues confronting the state and ultimately make recommendations for action.

Often times, the results of these hearings lead to new legislation or become key issues during the next session.

I am a second-term member of the House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence.

This committee holds jurisdiction over matters pertaining to criminal law, probation and parole, as well as criminal procedure in the courts, and revisions to the Texas Penal Code.

What follows is a description of some of the charges our committee has been assigned by Speaker Straus.

Public Defender Offices

“Study how the state presently supports the establishment and maintenance of public defender offices.”

Once an appellant who is accused of a crime is identified as indigent, a district judge, county judge or jail magistrate is responsible for appointing representation from the public defender's office.

In order to provide the representation that reflects the goals set forth by the state of Texas and all public defender's offices, attorneys, investigators and support staff members must all work together in order to provide the assistance needed to give the indigent appellant the appropriate legal representation.

During upcoming testimony on this charge, the members of the committee will hear testimony to fully understand how exactly these offices are set up as well as how all the offices in Texas are funded with regards to payroll, research, etc.

The end result of this particular charge is to fully comprehend all aspects of how our state's public defender's offices are created and maintained.