By:  Denton                                           H.B. No. 2863
       73R9367 GCH-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to a study and treatment of minor children who are
    1-3  survivors of sieges; making an appropriation.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  (a)  The office of the governor may contract with
    1-6  a medical school in this state that is affiliated with a children's
    1-7  hospital to conduct a study of and provide treatment to minor
    1-8  children who have been subjected to and survived any part of a
    1-9  siege of their residence by law enforcement authorities lasting
   1-10  more than 50 days.  The purposes of the study and treatment are to
   1-11  evaluate the medical, physical, emotional, and psychological needs
   1-12  of, and provide appropriate treatment and care for, the surviving
   1-13  minor children and to develop improved methodologies and programs
   1-14  for the evaluation and treatment of other children who survive
   1-15  periods of trauma, isolation, and violence.
   1-16        (b)  A minor child is eligible to participate in a study and
   1-17  treatment program under a contract made under this section if the
   1-18  child has been confined in a residence that was subject to, and
   1-19  during any part of, a siege as described by this section.
   1-20        (c)  A contract made under this section must be for a period
   1-21  of five years.  Payments under the contract must be made expressly
   1-22  subject to the availability of legislative appropriations for this
   1-23  purpose.
   1-24        SECTION 2.  In addition to other amounts appropriated for the
    2-1  fiscal biennium ending August 31, 1995, the sum of $200,000 is
    2-2  appropriated from the general revenue fund to the governor for the
    2-3  fiscal year ending August 31, 1994, for the purposes of a contract
    2-4  under Section 1 of this Act, and the additional sum of $200,000 is
    2-5  appropriated from the general revenue fund to the governor for the
    2-6  fiscal year ending August 31, 1995, for the same purpose.
    2-7        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-8  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-9  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   2-10  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-11  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.