BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1930

By: White

Juvenile Justice & Family Issues

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

There have been calls for the state to do more to educate children previously adjudicated as having engaged in conduct indicating a need for supervision or delinquent conduct. H.B. 1930 seeks to provide the Texas Juvenile Justice Board with the authority to establish a charter school to educate such children.

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. 1930 amends the Education Code to authorize the Texas Juvenile Justice Board to establish a charter school in a county with a population of at least 250,000 but not more than 270,000 that is located less than 100 miles from a Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) district office to educate children previously adjudicated as having engaged in conduct indicating a need for supervision or delinquent conduct. The bill subjects the school to review under the Texas Sunset Act and requires the school to be reviewed during the period in which TJJD is reviewed. The bill establishes the Texas Juvenile Justice Board as the school's governing body and requires the board to provide for the operation of the school. The bill sets out provisions relating to the following:

· the goals of the school;

· the applicability of certain other Education Code provisions to the school;

· school staffing, including background checks;

· school facilities;

· state funding for the school;

· the authority of the school to accept gifts and grants; and

· the authority of TJJD to coordinate with a public or private entity to establish the school or provide school programs or services.

H.B. 1930 requires the charter school to:

· develop an academic achievement plan for each student that is designed to produce high academic achievement and prepare the student for postsecondary education or a military career;

· develop and implement a comprehensive, evidence-based, individualized therapeutic counseling plan for each student to facilitate academic achievement, mitigate delinquent behavior, and encourage the involvement of the student's parent or guardian; and

· provide vocational training programs that enable students to obtain workforce credentials.

H.B. 1930 amends the Government Code to establish a person employed by a charter school established under the bill as a state employee for purposes of payment for vacation and sick leave to state employees who separate from state employment or to the estate of a deceased state employee.

H.B. 1930 amends the Insurance Code to require the executive head of a charter school established under the bill to determine whether an educational professional employee of the school is a full-time employee for purposes of the Texas Employees Group Benefits Act.   

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.