By: Combs H.B. No. 2233
73R6342 DAK-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the admission and consideration of evidence at a
1-3 juvenile court adjudication hearing.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 54.03(d), Family Code, is amended to read
1-6 as follows:
1-7 (d) Except as provided by Section 54.031 of this chapter,
1-8 only material, relevant, and competent evidence in accordance with
1-9 the requirements for the trial of criminal <civil> cases may be
1-10 considered in the adjudication hearing. Except in a detention or
1-11 discretionary transfer hearing, a social history report or social
1-12 service file shall not be viewed by the court or jury before the
1-13 adjudication decision <and shall not be viewed by the jury at any
1-14 time>.
1-15 SECTION 2. (a) This Act takes effect September 1, 1993, and
1-16 applies only to an adjudication hearing for conduct that occurs on
1-17 or after that date. For purposes of this section, conduct
1-18 violating the penal law of this state occurs on or after that date
1-19 if every element of the violation occurs on or after that date.
1-20 (b) An adjudication hearing for conduct that occurs before
1-21 the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect at
1-22 the time the conduct occurred, and that law is continued in effect
1-23 for that purpose.
1-24 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
2-1 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-2 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-3 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-4 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.