| TO: | Honorable Tryon D. Lewis, Chair, House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence |
| FROM: | Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | SB92 by Van de Putte (Relating to the designation of a juvenile court and a program for certain juveniles who may be the victims of human trafficking.), As Engrossed |
The bill would amend sections of the Family Code and the Human Resources Code relating to juvenile court designation and proceedings, and would authorize a juvenile board to establish a trafficked persons program for the assistance, treatment, and rehabilitation of children who may be the victims of human trafficking. The bill also specifies provisions for the deferral of adjudication and dismissal of certain cases on completion of the program.
The bill would authorize a juvenile court to order a child's records to be sealed and would allow a court to order the records sealed immediately and without a hearing if a child successfully completes a trafficked persons program. If a child's records are ordered sealed, a prosecuting attorney or a juvenile probation department may maintain a separate record until the child's 18th birthday and must send the record to the court as soon as practicable after the child's 18th birthday.
According to the Office of Court Administration, no significant fiscal impact on the court system is anticipated.
According to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD), costs for program updates in the Juvenile Case Management System could be reasonably absorbed within current resources.
There could be costs to a local governmental entity that chose to establish a trafficked persons program. However, it is assumed that a juvenile board would establish a program only if sufficient funds were available or it would not result in a negative fiscal impact; therefore, no significant fiscal impact is anticipated.
According to the TJJD, no fiscal implication to local probation departments is anticipated.
| Source Agencies: | 212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 405 Department of Public Safety, 644 Texas Juvenile Justice Department
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| LBB Staff: | UP, CL, TP
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