By Allen H.B. No. 349
74R576 DD-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the minimum age at which a child is subject to juvenile
1-3 court jurisdiction.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 34.54(b), Family Code, is amended to read
1-6 as follows:
1-7 (b) The department shall provide, directly or by contract,
1-8 services for a child and the child's family if the child is
1-9 referred to the department by a law enforcement agency for engaging
1-10 in conduct described by Section 51.03 of this code. The services
1-11 may include in-home programs, parenting skills training, youth
1-12 coping skills, and individual and family counseling. A child who
1-13 is referred to the department by a law enforcement agency must be
1-14 referred under Section 52.03 if the child is eight years of age or
1-15 older and under 10 years of age.
1-16 SECTION 2. Section 51.02(1), Family Code, is amended to read
1-17 as follows:
1-18 (1) "Child" means a person who is:
1-19 (A) eight <ten> years of age or older and under
1-20 17 years of age; or
1-21 (B) seventeen years of age or older and under 18
1-22 years of age who is alleged or found to have engaged in delinquent
1-23 conduct or conduct indicating a need for supervision as a result of
1-24 acts committed before becoming 17 years of age.
2-1 SECTION 3. Section 61.001(6), Human Resources Code, is
2-2 amended to read as follows:
2-3 (6) "Child" means a person eight <10> years old or
2-4 older and under 21 years old who is committed to the commission
2-5 under Title 3, Family Code.
2-6 SECTION 4. (a) The change in law made by this Act applies
2-7 only to conduct that occurs on or after the effective date of this
2-8 Act. Conduct violating a penal law of the state occurs on or after
2-9 the effective date of this Act if every element of the violation
2-10 occurs on or after that date.
2-11 (b) Conduct that occurs before the effective date of this
2-12 Act is covered by the law in effect at the time the conduct
2-13 occurred, and the former law is continued in effect for that
2-14 purpose.
2-15 SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
2-16 SECTION 6. The importance of this legislation and the
2-17 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-18 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-19 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-20 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.