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AN ACT
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relating to a study of the Dallas Men Against Abuse program and |
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other activities in the Dallas community addressing family |
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violence. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: |
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(1) "Commission" means the Health and Human Services |
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Commission. |
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(2) "Program" means the Dallas Men Against Abuse |
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program implemented by the City of Dallas. |
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SECTION 2. STUDY REQUIRED. (a) The Health and Human |
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Services Commission, in conjunction with a statewide coalition on |
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family violence, shall conduct a study of activities in the Dallas |
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community addressing family violence, with a specific focus on each |
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aspect of the Dallas Men Against Abuse program, to determine if any |
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or all of those activities or program aspects should be implemented |
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at the state level or in additional local communities or school |
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districts. |
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(b) In conducting the study, the commission and the |
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statewide coalition on family violence shall consult with: |
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(1) the City of Dallas Domestic Violence Task Force; |
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and |
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(2) a researcher with expertise on family violence who |
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is affiliated with an institution of higher education in this |
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state. |
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SECTION 3. CONTENTS OF STUDY. The study must: |
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(1) examine each aspect of the program; |
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(2) evaluate the effectiveness of each aspect of the |
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program and the effectiveness of other community activities that |
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contributed to changes in community responses to family violence, |
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based on indicators developed in consultation with family violence |
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experts, including the statewide coalition on family violence |
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conducting the study in conjunction with the commission and the |
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researcher described by Section 2(b)(2) of this Act; |
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(3) evaluate the effectiveness of the program in |
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increasing male involvement in addressing family violence; |
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(4) incorporate background information, such as the |
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number of calls made to domestic violence hotlines, the number of |
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prosecutions of offenses involving family violence, and the number |
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of charges filed in family violence cases, to provide context for |
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the issue of family violence in the Dallas community and this state; |
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(5) assess the costs associated with the program and |
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other community activities addressing family violence and sources |
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of funding; |
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(6) determine the feasibility of implementing any or |
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all of the program aspects or other community activities addressing |
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family violence at the state level or in additional local |
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communities or school districts; and |
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(7) make recommendations to the legislature regarding |
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implementing any or all of the program aspects or other community |
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activities addressing family violence at the state level or in |
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additional local communities or school districts. |
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SECTION 4. AGENCY PARTICIPATION AND COOPERATION. At the |
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request of the commission, the Department of Family and Protective |
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Services and each other health and human services agency under the |
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authority of the commission shall participate in the study and |
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provide appropriate assistance. The Texas Education Agency shall |
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cooperate with the commission as necessary to enable the commission |
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to assess the feasibility of implementing any or all of the program |
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aspects or other community activities addressing family violence in |
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school districts. |
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SECTION 5. REPORT. Not later than December 1, 2016, the |
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commission shall submit a report to the legislature regarding the |
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results of the study and the commission's recommendations regarding |
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expanded implementation of any or all program aspects or other |
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community activities addressing family violence. |
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SECTION 6. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect |
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immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members |
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elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas |
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Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for |
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immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 77 was passed by the House on April 9, |
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2015, by the following vote: Yeas 130, Nays 13, 2 present, not |
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voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. |
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No. 77 on May 29, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 113, Nays 31, 2 |
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present, not voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 77 was passed by the Senate, with |
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amendments, on May 27, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays |
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1. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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APPROVED: __________________ |
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Date |
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__________________ |
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Governor |