By: Castro, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Wentworth) H.B. No. 608
         (In the Senate - Received from the House April 22, 2009;
  April 23, 2009, read first time and referred to Committee on
  Jurisprudence; April 30, 2009, reported favorably by the following
  vote:  Yeas 4, Nays 0; April 30, 2009, sent to printer.)
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to posttrial psychological counseling for jurors in a
  criminal trial or juvenile adjudication hearing involving graphic
  evidence or testimony.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Article 56.04(f), Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (f)  The commissioners court may approve a program in which
  the crime victim liaison or victim assistance coordinator may offer
  not more than 10 hours of posttrial psychological counseling for a
  person who serves as a juror or an alternate juror in a criminal 
  [the] trial [of an offense under Section 19.02, 19.03, 21.11,
  22.011, 22.021, 43.05, 43.25, or 43.251, Penal Code,] involving
  graphic evidence or testimony and who requests the posttrial
  psychological counseling not later than the 180th day after the
  date on which the jury in the trial is dismissed.  The crime victim
  liaison or victim assistance coordinator may provide the counseling
  using a provider that assists local criminal justice agencies in
  providing similar services to victims.
         SECTION 2.  The heading to Section 57.003, Family Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 57.003.  DUTIES [DUTY] OF JUVENILE BOARD AND VICTIM
  ASSISTANCE COORDINATOR.
         SECTION 3.  Section 57.003, Family Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (g) to read as follows:
         (g)  The juvenile board, with the approval of the
  commissioners court of the county, may approve a program in which
  the victim assistance coordinator may offer not more than 10 hours
  of posttrial psychological counseling for a person who serves as a
  juror or an alternate juror in an adjudication hearing involving
  graphic evidence or testimony and who requests the posttrial
  psychological counseling not later than the 180th day after the
  date on which the jury in the adjudication hearing is dismissed.
  The victim assistance coordinator may provide the counseling using
  a provider that assists local juvenile justice agencies in
  providing similar services to victims.
         SECTION 4.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
  to a criminal trial or juvenile adjudication hearing for which a
  jury is selected on or after the effective date of this Act.  A
  criminal trial or juvenile adjudication hearing for which a jury is
  selected before the effective date of this Act is governed by the
  law as it existed immediately before that date, and that law is
  continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
 
  * * * * *