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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to posttrial psychological counseling for jurors in a |
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criminal trial or juvenile adjudication hearing involving graphic |
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evidence or testimony. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Article 56.04(f), Code of Criminal Procedure, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(f) The commissioners court may approve a program in which |
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the crime victim liaison or victim assistance coordinator may offer |
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not more than 10 hours of posttrial psychological counseling for a |
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person who serves as a juror or an alternate juror in a criminal |
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[the] trial [of an offense under Section 19.02, 19.03, 21.11,
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22.011, 22.021, 43.05, 43.25, or 43.251, Penal Code,] involving |
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graphic evidence or testimony and who requests the posttrial |
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psychological counseling not later than the 180th day after the |
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date on which the jury in the trial is dismissed. The crime victim |
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liaison or victim assistance coordinator may provide the counseling |
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using a provider that assists local criminal justice agencies in |
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providing similar services to victims. |
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SECTION 2. The heading to Section 57.003, Family Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 57.003. DUTIES [DUTY] OF JUVENILE BOARD AND VICTIM |
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ASSISTANCE COORDINATOR. |
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SECTION 3. Section 57.003, Family Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (g) to read as follows: |
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(g) The juvenile board may approve a program in which the |
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victim assistance coordinator may offer not more than 10 hours of |
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posttrial psychological counseling for a person who serves as a |
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juror or an alternate juror in an adjudication hearing involving |
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graphic evidence or testimony and who requests the posttrial |
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psychological counseling not later than the 180th day after the |
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date on which the jury in the adjudication hearing is dismissed. |
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The victim assistance coordinator may provide the counseling using |
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a provider that assists local juvenile justice agencies in |
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providing similar services to victims. |
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SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to a criminal trial or juvenile adjudication hearing for which a |
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jury is selected on or after the effective date of this Act. A |
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criminal trial or juvenile adjudication hearing for which a jury is |
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selected before the effective date of this Act is governed by the |
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law as it existed immediately before that date, and that law is |
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continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |