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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of the Task Force to Reduce Habitual |
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Incidents of Driving While Intoxicated. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 4, Government Code, is amended |
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by adding Chapter 423 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 423. TASK FORCE TO REDUCE HABITUAL INCIDENTS OF |
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DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED. |
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Sec. 423.001. CREATION. The Task Force to Reduce Habitual |
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Incidents of Driving While Intoxicated is created. |
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Sec 423.002. COMPOSITION. The task force is composed of the |
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following voluntary twelve members: |
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(a) six member appointed by the governor, consisting of: |
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(1) one member who is a judge from a Texas specialty |
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court; |
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(2) one member with expertise in specialty courts |
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designed to address addiction; |
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(3) one member who has been charged with or convicted |
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of a Driving While Intoxicated offense; |
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(4) one member who has been a victim of a Driving While |
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Intoxicated offense; |
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(5) one member who has expertise in criminal justice; |
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and |
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(6) one member who has expertise in best practice |
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substance abuse treatment; |
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(b) three members appointed by the lieutenant governor, one |
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of whom is a prosecuting attorney, one of whom is a public defense |
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attorney, and one of whom is a university scholar with expertise in |
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substance abuse treatment; and, |
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(c) three members appointed by the speaker of the house of |
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representatives, one of whom is a state representative, one of whom |
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is a state senator, and one of whom is appropriately qualified as |
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determined by the speaker. |
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Sec. 423.003. APPOINTMENT OF PRESIDING OFFICER. The |
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governor shall designate a member of the task force to serve as |
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presiding officer. |
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Sec. 423.004. DUTIES. (a) The task force shall study the |
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best practice responses to habitual driving while intoxicated |
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offenses, for purposes of reducing habitual incidents of driving |
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while intoxicated and incidents of driving fatalities among |
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intoxicated drivers. |
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(b) The task force shall compile a detailed report of its |
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findings and make recommendations for the adoption and |
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implementation of best practice responses to habitual driving while |
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intoxicated and shall submit the report to the governor, the |
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lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of |
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representatives not later the December 1, 2014. |
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(c) The task force shall have the assistance of the Texas |
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Legislative Council and the Legislative Budget Board in performing |
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its duties. |
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Sec 423.005. EXPIRATION. The task force is abolished and |
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this Act expires on January 1, 2015. |
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SECTION 2. The appointments to the Task Force to Reduce |
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Habitual Incidents of Driving While Intoxicated required by Chapter |
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423, Government Code, as added by this Act, shall be made as soon as |
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practicable after the effective date of this Act. |
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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, 2013. |