|
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
relating to a pilot program for the establishment of a call center |
|
to assist victims of sexual assault. |
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 411, Government Code, is |
|
amended by adding Section 411.0210 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 411.0210. STATEWIDE CALL CENTER TO ASSIST SEXUAL |
|
ASSAULT VICTIMS. (a) The department shall establish a pilot |
|
program for a statewide call center to assist victims of sexual |
|
assault. |
|
(b) The call center shall maintain a 24-hour statewide |
|
toll-free telephone line operated in English and Spanish and |
|
staffed by trained employees and volunteers. The call center shall |
|
provide information to victims of sexual assault and shall direct |
|
victims to appropriate external resources. Information provided to |
|
victims of sexual assault may include information on crime victim |
|
compensation, forensic examination, and counseling. The call |
|
center shall coordinate with other state and local governmental |
|
entities and organizations in this state to identify resources |
|
available to assist victims of sexual assault. |
|
(c) Information held by the call center that identifies a |
|
victim of sexual assault is not public information for purposes of |
|
Chapter 552, Government Code. |
|
(d) Not later than December 31, 2018, the department shall |
|
submit a report to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of |
|
the house of representatives, and members of the legislature |
|
evaluating pilot program. |
|
(e) Unless this section is continued in effect by the |
|
legislature, this section expires September 1, 2019. |
|
SECTION 2. |
|
This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |