85R1143 KJE-D     By: Dutton H.B. No. 609       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the representation of a defendant in certain criminal   proceedings in populous counties.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Chapter 15, Code of Criminal Procedure, is   amended by adding Article 15.171 to read as follows:          Art. 15.171.  REPRESENTATION IN POPULOUS COUNTIES. (a)     This article applies only to a county with a population of more than   three million.          (b)  Notwithstanding any other law, an arrested person who is   taken before a magistrate as required by Article 14.06(a),   15.17(a), or 15.18(a) shall be represented by the public defender's   office for the county in which the magistrate is located for   purposes of the person's appearance before the magistrate unless   the person:                (1)  has retained counsel to represent the person at   the appearance; or                (2)  voluntarily and intelligently waives, in writing,   the right to counsel.          (c)  If a person represented by the public defender's office   under this article is not indigent, the judge presiding over the   person's case shall order the person to pay the costs of the   office's services as provided by Article 26.05(g).          SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only   to a person who is arrested on or after the effective date of this   Act. A person arrested before the effective date of this Act is   governed by the law in effect on the date the person was arrested,   and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.          SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.