S.B. 1054 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS S.B. 1054 By: Shapleigh Criminal Jurisprudence Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The treatment of sex offenders is important because the majority of sex offenders eventually return to the community. Sex offender treatment enhances specialized community supervision of probated sex offenders by monitoring high risk behavior. It forces offenders to face the consequences of their behavior on their victims and society. Sex offender treatment is structured and focused as information is shared with other treatment team members, including justice officials. Currently, the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure does not specify the use of evaluative and rehabilitative treatment procedures for adult sex offenders. Nor does the current scheme specify use of such standards and methodology in conjunction with the conditions of an offender's probation. Senate Bill 1054 ensures that the Texas Council on Sex Offender Treatment standards and procedures are specified and therefore specifically permitted. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS Senate Bill 1054 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to ensure that the Texas Council on Sex Offender Treatment standards and procedures are specified and therefore specifically permitted. This would allow judges in cases involving a sex offender, as defined by the code, to direct a supervision officer to conduct an offense-specific evaluation to determine the appropriateness of, and a course of action necessary for, sexual offender treatment, specialized supervision, or rehabilitation for a defendant, and to report the evaluation to a judge. If a judge grants community supervision to a defendant, the judge may require the defendant to attend offense-specific sexual offender treatment, specialized supervision, rehabilitation programs, or other standards and practices specifically adopted by the Texas Council on Sex Offender Treatment. The costs for treatment, supervision or rehabilitation ordered under this bill will be paid for by the defendant. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2003.