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Senate Bill 92 |
Senate Author: Van de Putte et al. |
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Effective: 9-1-13 |
House Sponsor: Thompson, Senfronia |
Senate Bill 92 amends the Human Resources Code to authorize a juvenile board to establish a program for the assistance, treatment, and rehabilitation of children who are alleged to have engaged in, or adjudicated as having engaged in, delinquent conduct or conduct indicating a need for supervision and who may be victims of conduct that constitutes the offense of trafficking a person. The bill requires the program to allow for the integration of services available to a child under certain court proceedings, allow for the referral to a facility that can address issues associated with human trafficking, and require a participating child to periodically appear in court. The bill establishes minimum program requirements relating to services available to such a child, referral to an appropriate facility, and periodic court appearances for monitoring and compliance.
Senate Bill 92 amends the Family Code to authorize a juvenile court to require such a child to participate in the trafficked persons program and provides for deferral of adjudication and dismissal of certain cases relating to trafficking of persons on completion of the trafficked persons program. The bill includes provisions governing the jurisdiction over, and transfer of, proceedings relating to the protection of a child in cases where the juvenile may have engaged in delinquent conduct or conduct indicating a need for supervision or may be a victim of human trafficking.
Senate Bill 92 prohibits the informal disposition guidelines adopted by each county's juvenile board to allow the case of a child taken into custody to be disposed of without referral to a juvenile court or to a first offender program if there is probable cause to believe the child engaged in delinquent conduct or conduct indicating a need for supervision or may be a victim of human trafficking. The bill authorizes a juvenile court to order the sealing of records concerning such a child if the child successfully completed a trafficked persons program in accordance with the bill's provisions.