BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1662

By: Herrero

County Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has been noted that the use of GPS technology can help keep victims of family violence safe while the defendant is free on bond but that the costs of GPS monitoring can be burdensome on the counties that often pay for the use of this technology. H.B. 1662 seeks to encourage such monitoring and deter future family violence by establishing a grant program to reimburse counties for the cost of monitoring defendants and victims in criminal cases involving family violence.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 1662 amends the Government Code to require the criminal justice division of the governor's office to establish and administer a grant program to reimburse counties for all or part of the costs incurred by counties as a result of monitoring in cases involving family violence defendants and victims who participate in a global positioning monitoring system under a magistrate's order for emergency protection or a condition for release on bond after an arrest for an offense involving family violence. The bill requires the criminal justice division to establish additional eligibility criteria for grant applicants, grant application procedures, guidelines relating to grant amounts, procedures for evaluating grant applications, and procedures for monitoring the use of a grant and ensuring compliance with any conditions of a grant. The bill restricts the use of funds by a grant recipient to monitoring conducted for the purpose of restoring a measure of security and safety for a victim of family violence. The bill requires the criminal justice division to include in the division's biennial report to the legislature a detailed reporting of the results and performance of the grant program. The bill authorizes the criminal justice division to use any revenue available for purposes of the grant program.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2019.