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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the juvenile board of Nueces County. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 152.1841, Human Resources Code, is |
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amended by amending Subsections (c), (d), (e), (f), and (g) and |
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adding Subsections (h), (i), (j), (k), (l), (m), (n), and (o) to |
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read as follows: |
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(c) At the first meeting in January of each odd-numbered |
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year, the juvenile board shall elect a presiding officer from among |
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the board's members. The presiding officer serves a two-year term |
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[The commissioners court shall provide the juvenile probation
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officers with:
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[(1)
automobiles and their maintenance and operating
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expenses for use in official duties; or
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[(2)
an automobile allowance for the use of a personal
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automobile on official business in the amount determined to be
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necessary by the commissioners court]. |
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(d) The juvenile board shall hold regular monthly meetings |
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and may meet at the call of the presiding officer or on a written |
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request made to the presiding officer by at least three members. A |
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meeting of the board is subject to Chapter 551, Government Code. |
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The board shall keep accurate and complete minutes of the board's |
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meetings. The minutes are public records and are subject to Section |
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551.022, Government Code [may require a juvenile probation officer
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or institution superintendent to obtain a surety or personal bond
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conditioned on faithful performance of duty in an amount determined
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by the board]. |
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(e) The juvenile board shall appoint a person to serve as |
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the chief [may suspend or remove a] juvenile probation officer [or
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an institution superintendent at any time for good cause]. The |
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chief juvenile probation officer serves at the will of the board. |
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The chief juvenile probation officer is the chief administrative |
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officer of the juvenile probation department and the director of |
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the county institutions under the jurisdiction of the board [, with
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the approval of the board, may suspend or remove an assistant
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probation officer for good cause after the assistant is notified
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and afforded an opportunity to appear before the board]. |
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(f) The chief juvenile probation officer shall annually |
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prepare under the juvenile board's direction a budget for the |
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juvenile probation department and the county institutions under the |
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jurisdiction of the board. On approval of the budget by the board, |
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the board shall submit the budget to the commissioners court for |
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final approval. The commissioners court shall provide necessary |
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funds to maintain and operate the juvenile probation department and |
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shall pay the salaries and expenses of employees in accordance with |
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the budget approved by the commissioners court. |
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(g) The juvenile board shall establish a general personnel |
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policy for the employees of the juvenile probation department and |
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the county institutions under the jurisdiction of the board. The |
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juvenile probation department or county institution, as |
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applicable, shall provide each new employee a copy of the personnel |
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policy. The personnel policy must: |
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(1) establish and maintain an employee classification |
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system that includes: |
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(A) an accurate statement of the duties of each |
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employment position; |
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(B) the qualifications for each position; and |
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(C) a compensation plan that ensures equal pay |
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for equal work; and |
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(2) include disciplinary and grievance procedures |
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that protect the rights of employees and the rights of the employer. |
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(h) The chief juvenile probation officer shall hire the |
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employees of the juvenile probation department and of the county |
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institutions under the jurisdiction of the juvenile board. Subject |
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to the general personnel policy established by the board under |
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Subsection (g), the chief juvenile probation officer may remove an |
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employee at any time. |
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(i) The chief juvenile probation officer shall prepare an |
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annual written report regarding the operation and efficiency of the |
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juvenile probation department and the county institutions under the |
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jurisdiction of the juvenile board and regarding the general |
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adequacy of the juvenile services provided by the county. The |
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report may include any recommendations for improvements that the |
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chief juvenile probation officer considers necessary. The chief |
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juvenile probation officer shall submit the report required by this |
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subsection to the board at the same time the chief juvenile |
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probation officer submits the budget to the board for approval |
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under Subsection (f). |
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(j) After receiving the report of the chief juvenile |
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probation officer under Subsection (i), the juvenile board shall, |
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except as provided by this subsection, make an annual written |
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report to the commissioners court regarding the operation and |
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efficiency of the juvenile probation department and the county |
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institutions under the jurisdiction of the board and regarding the |
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general adequacy of the juvenile services provided by the county. |
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The report may include any recommendations for improvements that |
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the board considers necessary. The board, in its discretion, may |
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submit the report prepared by the chief juvenile probation officer |
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in lieu of preparing the report required by this subsection. The |
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board shall submit the report required by this subsection or |
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forward the chief juvenile probation officer's report, as |
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applicable, to the commissioners court at the same time the board |
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submits the budget to the commissioners court for final approval |
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under Subsection (f). |
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(k) The juvenile board shall investigate the operations of |
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the juvenile probation department and the county institutions under |
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the jurisdiction of the board at the request of the juvenile court |
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judge or the commissioners court, or as the board determines is |
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necessary. The board shall prepare and submit a written report |
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regarding the investigation to the commissioners court. |
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(l) The juvenile board may conduct any special studies or |
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investigations the board considers necessary to improve the |
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operations of the juvenile probation department and the county |
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institutions under the jurisdiction of the board. |
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(m) Subject to the approval of the commissioners court, the |
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juvenile board may accept and hold in trust a grant or donation of |
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real property or money or other personal property to benefit the |
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county facilities under the jurisdiction of the board. |
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(n) Notwithstanding Section 152.0010(a), an advisory |
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council appointed by the juvenile board under that section shall |
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consist of the same number of members as the number of members |
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serving on the juvenile board. Each juvenile board member shall |
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appoint one advisory council member. If, on a majority vote, the |
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members of the juvenile board determine that a single juvenile |
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board member has not appointed an advisory council member in a |
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timely manner, a majority of the members of the juvenile board shall |
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appoint an advisory council member on that person's behalf. |
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(o) Sections 152.0002, 152.0004, 152.0005, 152.0006, |
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152.0007, and 152.0008 do not apply to the juvenile board of Nueces |
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County. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |