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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of the Specialty Courts Advisory |
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Council. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 772, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Section 772.0061 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 772.0061. SPECIALTY COURTS ADVISORY COUNCIL. (a) In |
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this section: |
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(1) "Council" means the Specialty Courts Advisory |
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Council. |
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(2) "Specialty court" means: |
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(A) a drug court program established under |
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Chapter 469, Health and Safety Code; |
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(B) a mental health court program established |
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under Chapter 616, Health and Safety Code; and |
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(C) a veterans court program established under |
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Chapter 617, Health and Safety Code. |
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(b) The governor shall establish the Specialty Courts |
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Advisory Council within the criminal justice division established |
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under Section 772.006 to evaluate applications for grant funding |
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for specialty courts in this state and to make funding |
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recommendations to the criminal justice division. |
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(c) The council is composed of seven members appointed by |
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the governor as follows: |
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(1) three members with experience as judges of a |
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specialty court; and |
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(2) four members who represent the public. |
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(d) The members appointed under Subsection (c)(2) must: |
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(1) reside in various geographic regions of the state; |
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and |
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(2) have experience practicing law in a specialty |
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court or possess knowledge and expertise in a field relating to |
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behavioral or mental health issues or to substance abuse treatment. |
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(e) Members are appointed for staggered six-year terms. The |
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terms of either two or three members, as applicable, expire |
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February 1 of each odd-numbered year. |
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(f) A person may not be a member of the council if the person |
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is required to register as a lobbyist under Chapter 305 because of |
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the person's activities for compensation on behalf of a profession |
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related to the operation of the council. |
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(g) If a vacancy occurs on the council, the governor shall |
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appoint a person to serve for the remainder of the unexpired term. |
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(h) The council shall select a presiding officer. |
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(i) The council shall meet at the call of its presiding |
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officer or at the request of the governor. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than February 1, 2012, the governor |
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shall appoint the members of the Specialty Courts Advisory Council |
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created by Section 772.0061, Government Code, as added by this Act. |
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The governor shall appoint two members to terms expiring February |
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1, 2013, two members to terms expiring February 1, 2015, and three |
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members to terms expiring February 1, 2017. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |
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* * * * * |