By: Gonzáles, et al. (Senate Sponsor - West) H.B. No. 77

(In the Senate - Received from the House April 13, 2015; April 21, 2015, read first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human Services; May 22, 2015, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 22, 2015, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 77 By: Zaffirini

COMMITTEE VOTE

YeaNayAbsentPNV

SchwertnerX

KolkhorstX

CampbellX

EstesX

PerryX

RodríguezX

TaylorofCollinX

UrestiX

ZaffiriniX

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a study of the Dallas Men Against Abuse program and other activities in the Dallas community addressing family violence.

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

SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act:

(1) "Commission" means the Health and Human Services Commission.

(2) "Program" means the Dallas Men Against Abuse program implemented by the City of Dallas.

SECTION 2. STUDY REQUIRED. (a) The Health and Human Services Commission, in conjunction with a statewide coalition on family violence, shall conduct a study of activities in the Dallas community addressing family violence, with a specific focus on each aspect of the Dallas Men Against Abuse program, to determine if any or all of those activities or program aspects should be implemented at the state level or in additional local communities or school districts.

(b) In conducting the study, the commission and the statewide coalition on family violence shall consult with:

(1) the City of Dallas Domestic Violence Task Force; and

(2) a researcher with expertise on family violence who is affiliated with an institution of higher education in this state.

SECTION 3. CONTENTS OF STUDY. The study must:

(1) examine each aspect of the program;

(2) evaluate the effectiveness of each aspect of the program and the effectiveness of other community activities that contributed to changes in community responses to family violence, based on indicators developed in consultation with family violence experts, including the statewide coalition on family violence conducting the study in conjunction with the commission and the researcher described by Section 2(b)(2) of this Act;

(3) evaluate the effectiveness of the program in increasing male involvement in addressing family violence;

(4) incorporate background information, such as the number of calls made to domestic violence hotlines, the number of prosecutions of offenses involving family violence, and the number of charges filed in family violence cases, to provide context for the issue of family violence in the Dallas community and this state;

(5) assess the costs associated with the program and other community activities addressing family violence and sources of funding;

(6) determine the feasibility of implementing any or all of the program aspects or other community activities addressing family violence at the state level or in additional local communities or school districts; and

(7) make recommendations to the legislature regarding implementing any or all of the program aspects or other community activities addressing family violence at the state level or in additional local communities or school districts.

SECTION 4. AGENCY PARTICIPATION AND COOPERATION. At the request of the commission, the Department of Family and Protective Services and each other health and human services agency under the authority of the commission shall participate in the study and provide appropriate assistance. The Texas Education Agency shall cooperate with the commission as necessary to enable the commission to assess the feasibility of implementing any or all of the program aspects or other community activities addressing family violence in school districts.

SECTION 5. REPORT. Not later than December 1, 2016, the commission shall submit a report to the legislature regarding the results of the study and the commission's recommendations regarding expanded implementation of any or all program aspects or other community activities addressing family violence.

SECTION 6. EFFECTIVE DATE. 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, 2015.

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