BILL ANALYSIS
S.B. 1322
By: Fraser
Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
The juvenile boards of Kimble, McCulloch, Mason, and Menard counties have been operating jointly as the 198th Judicial District Juvenile Probation Department for many years. In doing so, these counties have been able to save money with respect to management, oversight, and staffing.
S.B. 1322 would make technical changes to the respective authorizing statutes to establish greater consistency and clarification of juvenile board operations. It would clarify that Kimble, McCulloch, Mason, and Menard counties can jointly operate and share fiscal responsibilities with surrounding juvenile boards, and make other changes for purposes of consistency between the juvenile boards of these four counties.
As proposed, S.B. 1322 amends current law relating to the operation of the Kimble County, McCulloch County, Mason County, and Menard County Juvenile Boards.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 152.1401, Human Resources Code, by adding Subsection (f), as follows:
(f) Authorizes the Kimble County Juvenile Board and the juvenile boards of one or more counties that are adjacent to or in close proximity to Kimble County to agree to operate together. Authorizes juvenile boards operating together to appoint one fiscal officer to receive and disburse funds for the boards.
SECTION 2. Amends Section 152.1601, Human Resources Code, by adding Subsection (f), as follows:
(f) Authorizes the McCulloch County Juvenile Board and the juvenile boards of one or more counties that are adjacent to or in close proximity to McCulloch County to agree to operate together. Authorizes juvenile boards operating together to appoint one fiscal officer to receive and disburse funds for the boards.
SECTION 3. Amends Section 152.1661, Human Resources Code, by amending Subsections (b), (c), and (d) and adding Subsections (e) and (f), as follows:
(b) Requires the juvenile board to elect one of its members as chairman. Deletes existing text providing that the juvenile court judge is the chairman of the board and its chief administrative officer.
(c) Requires the commissioners court to pay the juvenile board members an annual salary of not less than $600, payable in equal monthly installments from the general fund or any other available fund of the county. Authorizes the commissioners court to increase the compensation at any time. Deletes existing text authorizing the commissioners court to pay the juvenile board members an annual salary set by the commissioners court at not more than $1,200 as compensation for the added duties imposed on the members. Makes a nonsubstantive change.
(d) Provides that Sections 152.0002 (Board Meetings), 152.0004 (General Expenses), 152.0005(b) (relating to reimbursement of juvenile court judges for certain expenses), and 152.0006 (Fiscal Officer), rather than Sections 152.0002, 152.0004, 152.0005 (Expenses of Board Members and Juvenile Court), 152.0006, 152.0007 (Duties), and 152.0008 (Personnel), do not apply to the juvenile board of Mason County.
(e) Requires the juvenile board to hold regular annual meetings on dates set by the board and special meetings at the call of the chairman.
(f) Authorizes the Mason County Juvenile Board and the juvenile boards of one or more counties that are adjacent to or in close proximity to Mason County to agree to operate together. Authorizes juvenile boards operating together to appoint one fiscal officer to receive and disburse funds for the boards.
SECTION 4. Amends Section 152.1701, Human Resources Code, by adding Subsection (f), as follows:
(f) Authorizes the Menard County Juvenile Board and the juvenile boards of one or more counties that are adjacent to or in close proximity to Menard County to agree to operate together. Authorizes juvenile boards operating together to appoint one fiscal officer to receive and disburse funds for the boards.
EFFECTIVE DATE
Upon passage or September 1, 2011.