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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to establishing a juvenile victim-offender mediation |
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pilot program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Title 3, Family Code, is amended by adding |
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Chapter 62 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 62. JUVENILE VICTIM-OFFENDER MEDIATION PILOT PROGRAM |
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Sec. 62.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Commission" means the Texas Juvenile Probation |
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Commission. |
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(2) "Department" means the Bexar County Juvenile |
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Probation Department. |
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(3) "Program" means the juvenile victim-offender |
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mediation pilot program created under this chapter. |
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Sec. 62.002. ESTABLISHMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PILOT |
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PROGRAM. (a) The commission shall establish a juvenile |
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victim-offender mediation pilot program for children in Bexar |
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County using funds appropriated for that purpose. |
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(b) In implementing the program, the commission shall |
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require the department to: |
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(1) establish a resource network on the subject of |
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victim-offender mediation that includes representatives from the |
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department, the local dispute resolution center, the juvenile |
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courts, the district attorney's office, and the local juvenile |
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defense bar association; |
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(2) develop the program consistent with best practices |
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identified by the commission; and |
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(3) identify outcome measures that may be used to |
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measure the effectiveness of the program. |
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Sec. 62.003. REPORT. Not later than December 1, 2010, the |
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department shall submit a report to the commission regarding the |
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program. The report must include: |
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(1) a comprehensive analysis of the effectiveness of |
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the program; and |
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(2) the department's findings and recommendations |
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regarding continuation or expansion of the program. |
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Sec. 62.004. PROGRAM FUNDING. The commission shall |
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provide sufficient funds to the department for the program and |
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report, if funds are appropriated for purposes of this chapter. |
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Sec. 62.005. EXPIRATION. This chapter expires September 2, |
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2011. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |