Amend HB 1204 by adding the following appropriately numbered SECTION to the bill and renumbering subsequent SECTIONS of the bill accordingly:

SECTION ____.  (a) The Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System shall conduct a study to examine the use of the terms "juvenile," "child," and "minor" throughout the criminal justice and juvenile justice statutes of this state and the varying definitions assigned those terms. The study shall also determine whether:

(1)  adjudication under the adult criminal justice system of juveniles charged with misdemeanors punishable by fine only is just and efficient; and

(2)  certain procedures under the juvenile justice system if used in the adjudication of juveniles charged with misdemeanors punishable by fine only would provide a more just and efficient process for responding to violations of the law by juvenile offenders.

(b)  In conducting the study under Subsection (a) of this section, the Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System shall consult with the chair of the senate criminal justice committee, the chair of the juvenile justice and family issues committee of the house of representatives, and the chair of the corrections committee of the house of representatives.

(c)  Not later than December 1, 2018, the Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System shall submit a report containing the results of the study conducted under Subsection (a) of this section to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the appropriate standing committees of the senate and the house of representatives.

(d)  This section expires December 1, 2019.