BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 1374
86R17949 JRR-D	By: Hernandez et al. (Whitmire)
	Criminal Justice
	5/6/2019
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

It has been reported that pretrial diversion programs are a successful, cost-effective tool in reducing recidivism and present additional benefits to defendants who are pregnant or the primary caregiver of a minor, as such programs can help minimize disruptions to households that may have otherwise occurred if the defendant were incarcerated. H.B. 1374 seeks to encourage these outcomes by authorizing the community justice assistance division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to award grants for pretrial diversion programs tailored specifically for individuals who are pregnant or the primary caregiver of a minor.

H.B. 1374 amends current law relating to grants for the development and operation of pretrial intervention programs for pregnant defendants and defendants who are the primary caretaker of a child.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 509.011, Government Code, by adding Subsection (b-1) to authorize the community justice assistance division to award a grant to a community supervision and corrections department for the development and operation of a pretrial intervention program for defendants who are pregnant at the time of placement into the program or the primary caretaker of a child younger than 18 years of age.

SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2019.