By: Menéndez S.B. No. 1548

(In the Senate - Filed March 8, 2017; March 21, 2017, read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal Justice; April 20, 2017, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; April 20, 2017, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1548 By: Menéndez

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to post-discharge services offered by a juvenile board or juvenile probation department to a child after the child's probation period ends.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 142, Human Resources Code, is amended by adding Section 142.007 to read as follows:

Sec. 142.007. POST-DISCHARGE SERVICES. (a) For purposes of this section, "post-discharge services" means community-based services offered after a child is discharged from probation to support the child's vocational, educational, behavioral, or other goals and to provide continuity for the child as the child transitions out of juvenile probation services. The term includes:

(1) behavioral health services;

(2) mental health services;

(3) substance abuse services;

(4) mentoring;

(5) job training; and

(6) educational services.

(b) Provided that existing resources are available, a juvenile board or juvenile probation department may provide post-discharge services to a child for not more than six months after the date the child is discharged from probation, regardless of the age of the child on that date.

(c) A juvenile board or juvenile probation department may not require a child to participate in post-discharge services.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.

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