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  By: Burton  S.B. No. 1836
         (In the Senate - Filed March 9, 2017; March 23, 2017, read
  first time and referred to Committee on Criminal Justice;
  April 26, 2017, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 6,
  Nays 1; April 26, 2017, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to a study on the adjudication of juveniles charged with
  misdemeanors punishable by fine only and the use of certain terms
  signifying age in the criminal justice and juvenile justice
  statutes of this state.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  (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.
         SECTION 2.  This Act expires December 1, 2019.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
 
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