HBA-CBW,  LJP H.B. 822 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 822
By: Giddings
Juvenile Justice & Family Issues
2/11/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, a justice or municipal court may defer proceedings, and
a juvenile court may defer adjudication proceedings, against certain teen
defendants for 90 days on successful completion of a teen court program.
The teen court program is an alternative system of justice, which offers
young offenders an opportunity to make restitution for their offenses.  A
youth referred to a teen court appears before a jury of peers, consisting
of teenage volunteers from local secondary schools.  Teen court keeps the
offense off of the teen's record.  House Bill 822 authorizes a justice or a
municipal court and a juvenile court to defer proceedings against such
youth until the 90th day after the date the teen court hearing to determine
punishment is held. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 822 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to authorize a justice
or a municipal court to defer proceedings against a defendant who is under
the age of 18 or enrolled full time in an accredited secondary school in a
program leading toward a high school diploma until the 90th day after the
date of a teen court hearing to determine punishment is held. The bill also
amends the Family Code to authorize a juvenile court to defer adjudication
proceedings against a child for the same period of time. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.