By Chavez H.B. No. 2590
75R6049 MLS-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the creation of the Texas At-Risk Youth Task Force.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. TEXAS AT-RISK YOUTH TASK FORCE. The Texas
1-5 At-Risk Youth Task Force is created to develop a statewide plan for
1-6 the positive intervention in the lives of youth who are at risk of
1-7 becoming involved in criminal activity or becoming pregnant or in
1-8 danger of dropping out of school.
1-9 SECTION 2. COMPOSITION OF TASK FORCE. The task force is
1-10 composed of:
1-11 (1) three public members appointed by the governor;
1-12 (2) a representative of the governor's office,
1-13 appointed by the governor;
1-14 (3) three members of the senate, appointed by the
1-15 lieutenant governor;
1-16 (4) three members of the house of representatives,
1-17 appointed by the speaker of the house;
1-18 (5) a representative of the Texas Education Agency,
1-19 appointed by the commissioner of education;
1-20 (6) a representative of the Texas Youth Commission,
1-21 appointed by the presiding officer of the commission;
1-22 (7) a representative of the Texas Department of
1-23 Health, appointed by the commissioner of public health;
1-24 (8) a representative of the Texas Department of Human
2-1 Services, appointed by the presiding officer of the Texas Board of
2-2 Human Services;
2-3 (9) a representative of the Department of Protective
2-4 and Regulatory Services, appointed by the presiding officer of the
2-5 Board of Protective and Regulatory Services;
2-6 (10) a representative of the Texas Juvenile Probation
2-7 Commission, appointed by the presiding officer of the commission;
2-8 and
2-9 (11) a representative of the Texas Department of
2-10 Criminal Justice, appointed by the presiding officer of the Texas
2-11 Board of Criminal Justice.
2-12 SECTION 3. PRESIDING OFFICER. The governor shall designate
2-13 the presiding officer of the task force from among the members of
2-14 the task force.
2-15 SECTION 4. COMPENSATION. A member of the task force is not
2-16 entitled to compensation but is entitled to reimbursement from the
2-17 criminal justice planning fund under Article 102.056, Code of
2-18 Criminal Procedure, for the travel expenses incurred by the member
2-19 while conducting the business of the task force, as provided in the
2-20 General Appropriations Act.
2-21 SECTION 5. STAFF. The task force shall employ other
2-22 personnel that the task force considers necessary using funds from
2-23 the criminal justice planning fund under Article 102.056, Code of
2-24 Criminal Procedure.
2-25 SECTION 6. POWERS AND DUTIES. The task force shall:
2-26 (1) compile data on:
2-27 (A) juvenile crime statistics;
3-1 (B) high school graduation rates;
3-2 (C) teenage pregnancy rates; and
3-3 (D) other statistics relevant to the various
3-4 prevention methods used to address juvenile delinquency, teenage
3-5 pregnancy, and school dropouts;
3-6 (2) study programs that have been successful at
3-7 addressing the problems of at-risk youth, including:
3-8 (A) government programs;
3-9 (B) community-based programs;
3-10 (C) programs sponsored by businesses; and
3-11 (D) religious or faith-based programs; and
3-12 (3) form regional task forces to collect data,
3-13 testimony, and other information from areas around the state.
3-14 SECTION 7. REGIONAL TASK FORCES. (a) The composition of a
3-15 regional task force formed by the Texas At-Risk Youth Task Force
3-16 must be representative of the community in which the regional task
3-17 force is located.
3-18 (b) A member of a regional task force is not entitled to
3-19 receive compensation or reimbursement for travel expenses incurred
3-20 while conducting the business of the task force.
3-21 SECTION 8. REPORT. Not later than November 1, 1998, the
3-22 task force shall submit to the governor, lieutenant governor, the
3-23 speaker of the house of representatives, and the legislature a
3-24 report on the task force's recommendations for legislation, rule
3-25 changes, and a strategic statewide plan addressing the problems of
3-26 at-risk youth.
3-27 SECTION 9. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September
4-1 1, 1997.
4-2 SECTION 10. EXPIRATION DATE. This Act expires and the Texas
4-3 At-Risk Youth Task Force is abolished December 31, 1998.
4-4 SECTION 11. EMERGENCY. The importance of this legislation
4-5 and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-6 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-7 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-8 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.