BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3688

By: White

Juvenile Justice & Family Issues

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Concerns have been raised regarding the limited authority under which certain peace officers may respond to a directive issued from the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) to apprehend juvenile offenders in TJJD care that have either escaped secure confinement or violated the conditions of their release. It has been suggested that certain law enforcement officials are not authorized to respond to these directives if the opportunity to do so presents itself. H.B. 3688 seeks to address this issue by extending the authority to arrest such a child without a warrant to additional members of law enforcement.

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. 3688 amends the Human Resources Code to include a special investigator among the persons authorized to arrest without a warrant a child who has been committed to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) and placed by TJJD in any institution or facility and who has escaped or has been released under supervision and broken the conditions of release.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.