By: Hill H.B. No. 1341
73R4401 JMM-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the creation of the Texas Commission on Juvenile
1-3 Justice.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 3, Human Resources Code, is
1-6 amended by adding Chapter 71 to read as follows:
1-7 CHAPTER 71. TEXAS COMMISSION ON JUVENILE JUSTICE
1-8 Sec. 71.001. CREATION. The Texas Commission on Juvenile
1-9 Justice is created.
1-10 Sec. 71.002. COMPOSITION. (a) The commission is composed
1-11 of 12 members, four of whom are appointed by the governor, four of
1-12 whom are appointed by the lieutenant governor, and four of whom are
1-13 appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.
1-14 (b) The appointing officers shall coordinate the making of
1-15 appointments to ensure that the membership of the commission
1-16 includes:
1-17 (1) a county judge from a large urban county;
1-18 (2) a representative of a district attorney's office
1-19 from a large urban county;
1-20 (3) a representative of a police department from a
1-21 large urban municipality;
1-22 (4) one or more persons who are:
1-23 (A) authorities on juvenile issues;
1-24 (B) educators; and
2-1 (C) rehabilitation experts; and
2-2 (5) persons who are representatives of the general
2-3 public.
2-4 (c) Each appointed member of the commission serves at the
2-5 pleasure of the official by whom the member is appointed.
2-6 (d) The governor shall designate one member to serve as
2-7 presiding officer.
2-8 Sec. 71.003. POWERS AND DUTIES. The commission shall
2-9 develop a comprehensive proposal to improve the juvenile justice
2-10 system in this state. To achieve this goal, the commission shall
2-11 study:
2-12 (1) the provisions of Title 3, Family Code;
2-13 (2) the services and resources available to
2-14 predelinquent and at-risk youth;
2-15 (3) the coordination of services for juveniles in the
2-16 juvenile justice system across agency lines, levels of government,
2-17 and jurisdictional boundaries;
2-18 (4) the rules of procedure in juvenile court
2-19 proceedings;
2-20 (5) the disposition of children adjudicated as having
2-21 engaged in delinquent conduct or conduct indicating a need for
2-22 supervision;
2-23 (6) the availability of and access to information and
2-24 records concerning juvenile conduct to appropriate authorities and
2-25 agencies;
2-26 (7) the laws governing and rules adopted by the Texas
2-27 Juvenile Probation Commission, the Texas Youth Commission, the
3-1 Central Education Agency, and the Department of Protective and
3-2 Regulatory Services that relate to juvenile justice; and
3-3 (8) the availability and use of federal funds for
3-4 juvenile programs.
3-5 Sec. 71.004. REIMBURSEMENT. A member of the commission is
3-6 not entitled to compensation but is entitled to reimbursement for
3-7 actual and necessary expenses incurred in performing their official
3-8 duties.
3-9 Sec. 71.005. STAFF; CONTRACTS. (a) The commission may
3-10 hire staff as needed for research and other support services.
3-11 (b) The commission may contract with agencies of the state
3-12 or private contractors for research and other support services.
3-13 Sec. 71.006. SUBMISSION. The commission shall submit the
3-14 commission's proposals described by Section 71.003 to the governor,
3-15 the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of
3-16 representatives not later than December 1, 1994.
3-17 Sec. 71.007. COMMISSION ABOLISHED; EXPIRATION OF CHAPTER.
3-18 (a) The commission is abolished on September 1, 1995.
3-19 (b) This chapter expires on September 1, 1995.
3-20 SECTION 2. The governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of
3-21 the house of representatives shall make their appointments to the
3-22 Texas Commission on Juvenile Justice not later than the 31st day
3-23 after the effective date of this Act.
3-24 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
3-25 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-26 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-27 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-1 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
4-2 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
4-3 passage, and it is so enacted.