Relating to the applicability of the death penalty to a capital offense committed by a person with an intellectual disability.

HB 688 prohibits the death penalty for defendants with intellectual disability in Texas capital cases. It adds new procedures requiring courts to hold a hearing to determine intellectual disability, using specific medical standards defined in the bill (such as IQ scores two standard deviations below average). The bill directly affects individuals facing capital charges who may have intellectual disabilities, ensuring they cannot receive the death penalty. Key provisions include mandating a hearing within 120 days before trial and defining "intellectual disability" as significantly subaverage intellectual functioning with deficits in adaptive behavior during the developmental period. The bill creates a clear legal standard to prevent death sentences for this group.