SRC-CDH C.S.S.B. 1232 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 1232
By: Shapiro
Criminal Justice
4-30-97
Committee Report (Substituted)


DIGEST 

Last session, the legislature recognized the importance of requiring sex
offenders to attend, participate in, and complete a treatment program.  In
order to compel an offender to complete treatment, the offender's
punishment was linked to treatment.  Article 42.12, Code of Criminal
Procedure, expressly requires, as a condition of release to community
supervision or parole, that an adult offender be enrolled in a treatment
program.  However, concerns about juvenile sex offenders have not been
addressed, and presently, juvenile sex offenders are not statutorily
required to participate in treatment as a condition of punishment.
Furthermore, their punishment terms are generally too short to maximize
the offender's chance for successful treatment.  This legislation requires
a juvenile, as a condition of probation or supervision, to attend
psychological counseling directed at sex offenders and to submit to a
polygraph examination for the purposes of evaluating the child's treatment
progress.  C.S.S.B. 1232 also authorizes a court that requires a child to
attend psychological counseling to order the parent or guardian of the
child to attend certain instructional and treatment sessions.    

PURPOSE

As proposed, C.S.S.B. 1232 provides conditions for probation and release
under supervision for a child adjudicated for engaging in certain
delinquent conduct, and establishes certain instruction and treatment for
the parent or guardian of the child.   

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 54, Family Code, by adding Section 54.0405, as
follows: 

Sec. 54.0405.  CHILD PLACED ON PROBATION FOR CONDUCT CONSTITUTING SEXUAL
OFFENSE.  Authorizes the court, if a court or jury makes a disposition
under Section 54.04 in which a child described by Subsection (b) is placed
on probation and the court determines that the victim of the offense was a
child, to require as a condition of probation that the child attend
psychological counseling sessions for sex offenders and submit to a
polygraph examination for purposes of evaluating the child's treatment
progress. Sets forth the child offenders to whom this section applies.
Requires the psychological counseling to be with certain individuals or
organizations.  Requires a polygraph examination to be administered by
certain individuals.  Requires a local juvenile probation department that
specifies a sex offender treatment provider to fulfill certain
requirements.  Sets forth the terms by which a local juvenile probation
department is required to arrange for a polygraph examination to be
administered by a certain date.  Sets forth the terms by which a court is
authorized to order the parent or guardian of a child attending
psychological counseling to attend certain instruction and treatment.
Sets forth the terms by which a court is authorized to extend the
probation for an additional period.         

SECTION 2. Amends Chapter 54.04, Family Code, by adding Subsection (p), to
require a court that places a child on probation for conduct described by
Section 54.0405(b) and punishable as a felony, to specify a minimum
probation period of two years, except as provided by Subsection (l). 
 
SECTION 3. Amends Chapter 61F, Human Resources Code, by adding Section
61.0813, as follows: 

Sec. 61.0813.  SEX OFFENDER COUNSELING AND TREATMENT.  Authorizes the
Texas Youth Commission (commission), before releasing a child described by
Subsection (b) under supervision, to require as a condition of release
that the child attend psychological counseling sessions for sex offenders
and submit to a polygraph examination.  Sets forth the child offenders to
whom this section applies.  Requires psychological counseling to be with
certain individuals or organizations.  Requires a polygraph examination to
be administered by certain individuals.  Requires the commission, in
addition to specifying a sex offender treatment provider, to fulfill other
responsibilities regarding sex offender counseling and treatment.  Sets
forth the terms by which the commission is required to arrange for a
polygraph examination to be administered by a certain date.  Sets forth
the terms by which the court is authorized to order the parent or guardian
of a child attending psychological counseling to attend certain
instruction and treatment.  Sets forth the terms by which the commission
is authorized to request the court to extend the period of release for an
additional period, with certain limitations.           

SECTION 4. Amends Section 493.017, Government Code, as added by Chapter
256, Acts of the 74th Legislature, Regular Session, 1995, by adding
Subsections (c) and (d), to require a sex offender correction program that
provides counseling sessions for certain sex offenders to report to the
parole officer, if the sex offender terminates participation before
completion, the reason for the termination or that the reason for the
termination of counseling is unknown.  Requires a sex offender correction
program that provides counseling sessions for a child under Section
54.0405, Family Code, to report to the local juvenile probation department
supervising the child certain information by a set date.  Requires a sex
offender correction program that provides counseling sessions for a child
who is released under supervision under Section 61.0813, Human Resources
Code, to report to the commission certain information by a set date. 

SECTION 5. Requires a sex offender correction program to make the first
monthly report required by Section 493.017, Government Code, by a certain
date. 

SECTION 6. Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 7. Effective date:  September 1, 1997.

SECTION 8. Emergency clause.     

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

Amends the relating clause to delete the references to determinate
sentence parole, and establishes certain instruction and treatment for the
parent or guardian of the child. 

SECTION 1.

Amends Section 54.0405, Family Code, to change the section heading.
Authorizes the court to require as a condition of probation that the child
attend psychological counseling and submit to a polygraph examination.
Deletes the provision requiring the court to require the child to attend
psychological counseling.  Includes a child placed on probation under
Section 22.021, Penal Code, among those children to whom this section
applies.  Sets forth the procedure regarding administration of the
polygraph examination.  Sets forth the terms by which a court is
authorized to order the parent or guardian of a child attending
psychological counseling to attend certain instructional and treatment
sessions.   

SECTION 2.

Amends Section 54.04, Family Code, to require a court that places certain
children on probation to specify a minimum probation period of two years.

 SECTION 3.

Amends Section 61.0813, Human Resources Code, to authorize the commission
to require as a condition of release that a child attend psychological
counseling and submit to a polygraph examination.  Deletes the provision
requiring the commission to require a child to attend counseling.
Includes a child who has been adjudicated for engaging in delinquent
conduct constituting an offense under Section 22.021, Penal Code, among
the children to whom this section applies.  Sets forth the procedure for
administering a polygraph examination.  Sets forth the terms by which the
court is authorized to order the parent or guardian of a child attending
psychological counseling to attend instructional and treatment sessions. 

Deletes former SECTION 3, regarding eligibility for release on parole of
certain sex offenders.   

SECTION 4. 

Deletes proposed changes to Section 493.017(b), Government Code.