HB 2448 Texas House · 89th Legislature (2025)

Relating to the waiver of a defendant's arraignment.

HB 2448 amends Texas criminal procedure to allow defense attorneys to waive a defendant's arraignment without requiring the defendant's physical presence in court. It permits attorneys to sign the waiver on the defendant's behalf instead of needing the defendant's signature. This directly affects criminal defendants and their attorneys in Texas courts during initial court proceedings. The law takes effect September 1, 2025.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
House Passage
May 2025
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Mar 17, 2025 Last action May 7, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Engrossed · 4 edits · May 7, 2025
MODERATE
The bill text was reformatted from a standard legislative format to an engrossed version with added metadata headers and footers. The substantive policy content regarding waiver of arraignment remains unchanged, with no modifications to eligibility, requirements, or effective dates.
Scope change
No substantive scope change; only formatting and metadata additions
TECHNICAL

Added metadata headers including bill number, version designation, and tracking codes

Reformatted text layout with spacing changes and updated section numbering style

Removed original formatting markers and draft tracking information

POLICY

Core legislative text regarding arraignment waiver procedures remains identical

Floor votes · House May 6, 2025

How they voted

10534
Passed · 5 other
Total votes 144
May 6, 2025
D Democratic58
56 Yea 2
96% Yea
R Republican86
49 Yea 34 Nay 3
56% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
29
Key actions
9
Committee
9
May 7, 2025
Introduced
Received from the House
upper
May 7, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed
lower
May 6, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed to engrossment
lower
Apr 30, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee report sent to Calendars
lower
Apr 29, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee report distributed
lower
Apr 24, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
lower
Apr 22, 2025
Lower · Passed
Left pending in committee
lower
Apr 22, 2025
Lower · Passed
Vote reconsidered in committee
lower
Apr 22, 2025
Committee
Failed to receive affirmative vote in comm.
lower
Apr 8, 2025
Lower · Passed
Left pending in committee
lower
Apr 8, 2025
Lower · Passed
Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
lower
Mar 17, 2025
Committee
Referred to Criminal Jurisprudence
lower
Mar 17, 2025
Introduced
Read first time
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Joe Moody
Joe Moody
DDemocratic
TX
78