By: Eckels H.B. No. 1023 72S40015 GWK-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to communication between community justice councils and 1-3 the Texas Board of Criminal Justice and the Texas Department of 1-4 Criminal Justice. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Section 3(b), Article 42.131, Code of Criminal 1-7 Procedure, is amended to read as follows: 1-8 (b) A community justice council must be established by the 1-9 district judge or judges in each jurisdiction served by a 1-10 department, unless a board or council exists in the community on 1-11 September 1, 1991, that performs duties substantially similar to 1-12 those imposed on a community justice council under this section. 1-13 The council shall provide continuing policy guidance and direction 1-14 for the development of criminal justice plans and community 1-15 corrections facilities and programs and shall consult with the 1-16 Texas Board of Criminal Justice and the Texas Department of 1-17 Criminal Justice about decisions made by the board and the 1-18 department affecting public safety in the jurisdiction served by 1-19 the department. A council should consist of the following persons 1-20 or their designees: 1-21 (1) a sheriff of a county to be served by the 1-22 department, chosen by the sheriffs of the counties to be served by 1-23 the department; 1-24 (2) a county commissioner or a county judge from a 2-1 county to be served by the department, chosen by the county 2-2 commissioners and county judges of the counties to be served by the 2-3 department; 2-4 (3) a city council member of the most populous 2-5 municipality in a county to be served by the department, chosen by 2-6 the members of the city councils of cities to be served by the 2-7 department; 2-8 (4) not more than two state legislators elected from a 2-9 county to be served by the department, chosen by the state 2-10 legislators elected from the counties to be served by the 2-11 department; 2-12 (5) the presiding judge from a judicial district to be 2-13 served by the department, chosen by the district judges from the 2-14 judicial districts to be served by the department; 2-15 (6) a judge of a statutory county court exercising 2-16 criminal jurisdiction in a county to be served by the department, 2-17 to be chosen by the judges of statutory county courts with criminal 2-18 jurisdiction in the counties to be served by the department; 2-19 (7) a county attorney with criminal jurisdiction from 2-20 a county to be served by the department, chosen by the county 2-21 attorneys with criminal jurisdiction from the counties to be served 2-22 by the department; 2-23 (8) a district attorney or criminal district attorney 2-24 from a judicial district to be served by the department, chosen by 2-25 the district attorneys or criminal district attorneys from the 2-26 judicial districts to be served by the department; and 2-27 (9) an elected member of the board of trustees of an 3-1 independent school district in a county to be served by the 3-2 department, chosen by the members of the boards of trustees of 3-3 independent school districts located in counties to be served by 3-4 the department. 3-5 SECTION 2. Chapter 492, Government Code, is amended by 3-6 adding Section 492.015 to read as follows: 3-7 Sec. 492.015. CONSULTATION WITH COMMUNITY JUSTICE COUNCILS. 3-8 The board shall consult with community justice councils established 3-9 under Section 3(b), Article 42.131, Code of Criminal Procedure, 3-10 about decisions made by the board and the department affecting 3-11 public safety in the jurisdictions served by the councils. 3-12 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 3-13 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-14 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-15 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-16 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 3-17 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 3-18 passage, and it is so enacted.