85R668 GCB-D
 
  By: White H.B. No. 58
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the creation of a specialty court for certain
  first-time marihuana possession offenders; imposing a fee for
  participation.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subtitle K, Title 2, Government Code, is amended
  by adding Chapter 128 to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 128. FIRST CHANCE INTERVENTION PROGRAM
         Sec. 128.001.  FIRST CHANCE INTERVENTION PROGRAM DEFINED.  
  In this chapter, "first chance intervention program" means a
  specialty court program established under this chapter that is:
               (1)  based on the principle that first-time defendants
  who commit low-level, nonviolent offenses involving the possession
  of marihuana are often self-correcting, without the need for more
  formal and costly criminal justice intervention; and
               (2)  intended to conserve law enforcement,
  prosecution, court, jail, and corrections resources that would
  otherwise be expended in the arrest, prosecution, and confinement
  or community supervision of the defendant.
         Sec. 128.002.  AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH PROGRAM. The
  commissioners court of a county or governing body of a municipality
  may establish a first chance intervention program for defendants
  charged with an offense involving the possession of marihuana that
  is punishable under Section 481.121(b)(1), Health and Safety Code.
         Sec. 128.003.  ELIGIBILITY.  (a)  A defendant is eligible to
  participate in a first chance intervention program established
  under this chapter only if:
               (1)  the attorney representing the state consents to
  the defendant's participation in the program;
               (2)  at the time of the defendant's arrest for an
  offense under Section 481.121(b)(1), Health and Safety Code, or at
  the time of the issuance of a citation to the defendant under
  Article 14.06(c), Code of Criminal Procedure, for an offense under
  Section 481.121(b)(1), Health and Safety Code, the defendant:
                     (A)  displayed identifying information sufficient
  for a peace officer to confirm the defendant's identity;
                     (B)  was not charged with another offense, other
  than a misdemeanor offense punishable by fine only;
                     (C)  was not released on bond for another offense
  other than a misdemeanor offense punishable by fine only for which
  charges were still pending; and
                     (D)  was not the subject of an outstanding warrant
  for the commission of any offense;
               (3)  the defendant has not previously been convicted or
  placed on deferred adjudication for an offense, other than a
  misdemeanor offense punishable by fine only; and
               (4)  the defendant has not previously participated in
  the program under this chapter or another specialty court program
  under this subtitle.
         (b)  The court in which the criminal case is pending shall
  allow an eligible defendant to choose whether to participate in the
  first chance intervention program or otherwise proceed through the
  criminal justice system.
         (c)  If an eligible defendant commits any offense during the
  defendant's participation in the first chance intervention
  program, the defendant is no longer eligible for participation in
  the program and the defendant's case shall be referred to the
  appropriate court to proceed through the criminal justice system.
         Sec. 128.004.  PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS. (a)  Not later than the
  third day after the date the court informs the defendant that the
  defendant is eligible to participate in a first chance intervention
  program established under this chapter, the defendant must contact
  the appropriate agency designated by the commissioners court to
  schedule an intake interview and assessment.
         (b)  Based on the intake interview and assessment, the
  defendant shall be ordered to:
               (1)  complete eight hours of community service; or
               (2)  participate in an eight-hour cognitive class.
         (c)  A first chance intervention program must be either 60 or
  90 days in length.
         Sec. 128.005.  ORDER OF NONDISCLOSURE OF CRIMINAL HISTORY
  RECORD INFORMATION.  If a defendant successfully completes a first
  chance intervention program, regardless of whether the defendant
  was convicted of the offense for which the defendant entered the
  program or whether the court deferred further proceedings without
  entering an adjudication of guilt, after notice to the state and a
  hearing on whether the defendant is otherwise entitled to the
  petition and whether issuance of the order is in the best interest
  of justice, the court shall enter an order of nondisclosure of
  criminal history record information under Subchapter E-1, Chapter
  411, as if the defendant had received a dismissal and discharge
  under Article 42A.111, Code of Criminal Procedure, with respect to
  all records and files related to the defendant's arrest or citation
  for the offense for which the defendant entered the program if the
  defendant:
               (1)  has not been previously convicted of or placed on
  deferred adjudication community supervision for an offense listed
  in Article 42A.054, Code of Criminal Procedure, or a sexually
  violent offense, as defined by Article 62.001, Code of Criminal
  Procedure; and
               (2)  is not convicted of or placed on deferred
  adjudication community supervision for a felony offense after the
  date on which the defendant successfully completed the program and
  before the second anniversary of that date.
         Sec. 128.006.  FEE. (a)  Except as otherwise provided by
  this section, a first chance intervention program shall collect
  from a participant in the program a fee of $100.
         (b)  The court shall waive the fee required under Subsection
  (a) if the court determines that the defendant is indigent based on
  the defendant's sworn statement or affidavit filed with the court.
         (c)  Based on the defendant's ability to pay, the court may
  reduce the fee required under Subsection (a).
         SECTION 2.  Article 59.062(f), Code of Criminal Procedure,
  is amended to read as follows:
         (f)  A civil penalty collected under this article shall be
  deposited to the credit of the drug court account in the general
  revenue fund to help fund drug court programs established under
  Chapter 122, 123, 124, [or] 125, or 128, Government Code, or former
  law.
         SECTION 3.  Article 102.0178(g), Code of Criminal Procedure,
  is amended to read as follows:
         (g)  The comptroller shall deposit the funds received under
  this article to the credit of the drug court account in the general
  revenue fund to help fund drug court programs established under
  Chapter 122, 123, 124, [or] 125, or 128, Government Code, or former
  law.  The legislature shall appropriate money from the account
  solely to the criminal justice division of the governor's office
  for distribution to drug court programs that apply for the money.
         SECTION 4.  Subchapter B, Chapter 103, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 103.02713 to read as follows:
         Sec. 103.02713.  ADDITIONAL MISCELLANEOUS FEES AND COSTS:
  GOVERNMENT CODE. A program fee for a first chance intervention
  program established under Section 128.002 shall be collected under
  Section 128.006 in the amount of $100.
         SECTION 5.  Section 772.0061(a)(2), Government Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
               (2)  "Specialty court" means:
                     (A)  a commercially sexually exploited persons
  court program established under Chapter 126 or former law;
                     (B)  a family drug court program established under
  Chapter 122 or former law;
                     (C)  a drug court program established under
  Chapter 123 or former law;
                     (D)  a veterans treatment court program
  established under Chapter 124 or former law; [and]
                     (E)  a mental health court program established
  under Chapter 125 or former law; and
                     (F)  a first chance intervention program
  established under Chapter 128.
         SECTION 6.  Section 772.0061(b), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (b)  The governor shall establish the Specialty Courts
  Advisory Council within the criminal justice division established
  under Section 772.006 to:
               (1)  evaluate applications for grant funding for
  specialty courts in this state and to make funding recommendations
  to the criminal justice division; and
               (2)  make recommendations to the criminal justice
  division regarding best practices for specialty courts established
  under Chapter 122, 123, 124, [or] 125, or 128 or former law.
         SECTION 7.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.