By: West S.B. No. 1193
2001S0608/1
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the creation of the joint interim committee on
1-3 substance abuse and crime prevention to evaluate the potential
1-4 benefits of drug treatment and counseling as an alternative to
1-5 incarceration of nonviolent drug offenders.
1-6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-7 SECTION 1. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS. (a) The legislature finds
1-8 that reducing the incidence of drug abuse is in the interest of the
1-9 state and that the dependency problems of nonviolent drug-dependent
1-10 criminal offenders may be more effectively addressed through
1-11 court-supervised drug treatment and counseling programs than
1-12 through incarceration.
1-13 (b) The legislature further finds that offering
1-14 court-supervised drug treatment and counseling programs to
1-15 nonviolent drug-dependent criminal offenders would increase the
1-16 availability of jail and prison cells for violent offenders and
1-17 drug dealers and that such reduction would further be in the
1-18 interest of the state.
1-19 SECTION 2. JOINT INTERIM COMMITTEE ON SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND
1-20 CRIME PREVENTION. (a) In this section:
1-21 (1) "Committee" means the joint interim committee on
1-22 substance abuse and crime prevention.
1-23 (2) "Offender" means a nonviolent drug-dependent
1-24 criminal offender.
1-25 (b) The joint interim committee on substance abuse and crime
2-1 prevention is created to evaluate the potential benefits of
2-2 treatment and counseling for offenders as an alternative to their
2-3 incarceration.
2-4 (c) The lieutenant governor and speaker of the house of
2-5 representatives shall each appoint four members to serve on the
2-6 committee.
2-7 (d) The lieutenant governor shall appoint a member of the
2-8 committee to serve as the presiding officer.
2-9 (e) The committee shall meet at the call of the presiding
2-10 officer.
2-11 (f) The House Committees on Public Health and on Criminal
2-12 Jurisprudence and the Senate Committees on Health and Human
2-13 Services and on Jurisprudence shall provide administrative support,
2-14 including staff, to the committee.
2-15 (g) The committee has the authority necessary to perform its
2-16 duties and in connection with those duties may call and hold
2-17 hearings and request the assistance of state agencies, departments,
2-18 or offices.
2-19 (h) The committee shall:
2-20 (1) evaluate the potential benefits of establishing a
2-21 community-based and court-supervised substance abuse treatment
2-22 program as an alternative to incarceration for offenders. In its
2-23 evaluation, the committee may consider the potential for such a
2-24 program to:
2-25 (A) increase the percentage of offenders in
2-26 recovery;
3-1 (B) reduce the incidence of future crimes;
3-2 (C) increase the availability of jails and
3-3 prison cells to incarcerate violent criminals and drug dealers; and
3-4 (D) improve the overall community welfare;
3-5 (2) develop recommendations for administering the
3-6 program, including drug testing and providing incentives for
3-7 offenders to successfully complete the program; and
3-8 (3) evaluate the success of similar programs in other
3-9 states.
3-10 (i) The committee shall report its findings and
3-11 recommendations to the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the
3-12 house of representatives, and the 78th Legislature not later than
3-13 November 1, 2002.
3-14 SECTION 3. EXPIRATION. This Act expires and the committee
3-15 is abolished January 1, 2003.
3-16 SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September
3-17 1, 2001.