By Turner of Harris H.B. No. 636
77R1817 KEL-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to sexual assault prevention and crisis services.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 420.006, Government Code, is amended to
1-5 read as follows:
1-6 Sec. 420.006. SPECIAL PROJECTS; PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN.
1-7 (a) To prevent sexual assault and improve services to survivors,
1-8 the [The] attorney general may consult and contract with or award
1-9 grants to local and statewide programs for special projects, as
1-10 appropriate, including the sexual assault public awareness campaign
1-11 required by Subsection (b) [to prevent sexual assault and improve
1-12 services to survivors].
1-13 (b) To develop and implement a sexual assault public
1-14 awareness campaign, the attorney general shall contract with a
1-15 statewide program that, for the three-year period preceding the
1-16 date the contract is signed, has provided to other programs
1-17 technical assistance relating to sexual assault issues.
1-18 (c) In connection with the campaign, the statewide program
1-19 shall:
1-20 (1) use a variety of English and Spanish media,
1-21 including newspapers, radio, television, the Internet, and
1-22 billboards;
1-23 (2) primarily address:
1-24 (A) the criminality of sexual violence;
2-1 (B) the criminal and civil consequences of
2-2 sexual violence to the perpetrator;
2-3 (C) the eradication of public misconceptions of
2-4 sexual violence; and
2-5 (D) the services available to survivors;
2-6 (3) develop a sexual violence prevention program model
2-7 that:
2-8 (A) is targeted toward secondary school
2-9 students; and
2-10 (B) promotes respect and nonviolence;
2-11 (4) work with secondary schools to implement in those
2-12 schools the program model described by Subdivision (3);
2-13 (5) in English and Spanish, develop and implement
2-14 education and training in the prevention of sexual violence in
2-15 counties adjacent to the international border of this state; and
2-16 (6) establish a 24-hour toll-free hotline to provide
2-17 crisis intervention and referral services to callers.
2-18 (d) Not later than September 1 of each even-numbered year,
2-19 the statewide program shall submit to the attorney general a
2-20 written report on the sexual assault public awareness campaign,
2-21 including recommendations for continuation or elimination of the
2-22 campaign or changes to the campaign.
2-23 (e) Nothing in this section prevents the statewide program
2-24 from receiving gifts, grants, or donations from any source for the
2-25 purpose of developing and implementing the campaign.
2-26 SECTION 2. Section 420.007(b), Government Code, is amended
2-27 to read as follows:
3-1 (b) The attorney general shall allocate [may not use more
3-2 than 15 percent of] the annual legislative appropriation to the
3-3 service as follows:
3-4 (1) money to pay administrative costs, not to exceed
3-5 15 percent of the annual appropriation;
3-6 (2) money equal to at least 15 percent of the annual
3-7 appropriation to fund the statewide sexual assault public awareness
3-8 campaign described by Section 420.006; and
3-9 (3) the remaining money to local and statewide
3-10 programs described by [for the administration of] this chapter.
3-11 SECTION 3. Section 420.012, Government Code, is amended to
3-12 read as follows:
3-13 Sec. 420.012. SEXUAL ASSAULT ADVISORY COMMITTEE
3-14 [CONSULTATIONS]. (a) The [In implementing this chapter, the]
3-15 attorney general shall establish a sexual assault advisory
3-16 committee composed of at least nine members from local and
3-17 statewide programs [consult persons] and from other organizations
3-18 having knowledge and experience relating to sexual assault.
3-19 (b) The committee shall advise the attorney general
3-20 regarding:
3-21 (1) program issues, including:
3-22 (A) program standards;
3-23 (B) program effectiveness, including methods for
3-24 measuring that effectiveness;
3-25 (C) assignment of service areas to programs;
3-26 (D) distribution of money to programs, including
3-27 criteria for distribution; and
4-1 (E) collection of information from programs and
4-2 from any other source;
4-3 (2) standards for certification of sexual assault
4-4 nurse examiners, including standards for examiner training courses
4-5 for the nurse examiners;
4-6 (3) protocols and models for treatment of survivors by
4-7 medical, law enforcement, and any other relevant personnel; and
4-8 (4) any other relevant sexual assault issues.
4-9 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.