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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to eligibility for participation in veterans court |
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programs. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 124.002(a), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) The commissioners court of a county may establish a |
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veterans court program for persons arrested for or charged with any |
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misdemeanor or felony offense. A defendant is eligible to |
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participate in a veterans court program established under this |
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chapter only if the attorney representing the state consents to the |
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defendant's participation in the program and if the court in which |
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the criminal case is pending finds that the defendant: |
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(1) is a veteran or current member of the United States |
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armed forces, including a member of the reserves, national guard, |
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or state guard; and |
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(2) suffers from a brain injury, mental illness, or |
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mental disorder, including post-traumatic stress disorder, that: |
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(A) occurred during or resulted from the |
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defendant's military service [in a combat zone or other similar
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hazardous duty area]; and |
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(B) materially affected the defendant's criminal |
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conduct at issue in the case. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies to a |
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person who, on or after the effective date of this Act, enters a |
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veterans court program under Chapter 124, Government Code, |
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regardless of whether the person committed the offense for which |
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the person enters the program before, on, or after the effective |
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date of this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |