By: Van de Putte S.B. No. 1517

(In the Senate - Filed March 8, 2013; March 19, 2013, read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal Justice; April 29, 2013, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 5, Nays 0; April 29, 2013, sent to printer.)

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1517 By: Whitmire

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the collection of data regarding the placement of a child in disciplinary seclusion in a juvenile facility.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Chapter 203, Human Resources Code, is amended by adding Section 203.016 to read as follows:

Sec. 203.016. DATA REGARDING PLACEMENT IN DISCIPLINARY SECLUSION. (a) In this section:

(1) "Disciplinary seclusion" means the separation of a resident from other residents for disciplinary reasons and the placement of the resident alone for at least 90 minutes in an area from which the child is prevented from leaving.

(2) "Juvenile facility" means a facility that serves juveniles under juvenile court jurisdiction and that is operated wholly or partly by the department, a juvenile board, or another governmental unit or by a private vendor under a contract with the department, juvenile board, or governmental unit.

(b) The department shall collect the following data during the annual registration of juvenile facilities and make the data publicly available:

(1) the number of placements in disciplinary seclusion lasting at least 90 minutes but less than 24 hours;

(2) the number of placements in disciplinary seclusion lasting 24 hours or more but less than 48 hours; and

(3) the number of placements in disciplinary seclusion lasting 48 hours or more.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2013.

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