BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	C.S.S.B. 1180
86R26601 LHC-D	By: Men�ndez
	Veteran Affairs & Border Security
	4/25/2019
	Committee Report (Substituted)

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Texas has over 15 veteran treatment courts operating in Texas. These programs have made a significant and positive impact on the lives of the veterans and their loved ones. Rather than focusing on a traditional incarceration method, veterans treatment courts programs look to reduce recidivism rates by requiring active participation in self-improvement programs designed to address the root issues leading to the high number of Veteran arrests.

C.S.S.B. 1180 will require the Texas Veterans Commission to report to the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of representatives the number of defendants who participate in each veterans treatment court program, the number who successfully completed each program, and the number who did not successfully complete each program as well as the amount of grant funding received by each program.

C.S.S.B. 1180 amends current law relating to increasing the amount of the program fee for a veterans treatment court program and reporting regarding veterans treatment court programs.

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 103.027(a), Government Code, as effective September 1, 2019, as follows:

(a) Requires fees and costs to be paid or collected under the Government Code as follows:

(1)�(6) makes no changes to these subdivisions;

(7) a reasonable program fee for a veterans treatment court program (Sec. 124.005 (Fees), Government Code)) . . . not to exceed $1,300, rather than not to exceed $1,000;

(8)�(9) makes no changes to these subdivisions;

(9-a) a reasonable program fee for a public safety employees treatment court program (Sec. 129.006 (Fees), Government Code) . . . not to exceed $1,000;

(9-b) a testing, counseling, and treatment fee for testing, counseling, or treatment performed or provided under a public safety employees treatment court program (Sec. 129.006, Government Code)) . . . the amount necessary to cover the costs of testing, counseling, or treatment; and

(10) makes no changes to this subdivision.

(b) Repealer: Section 103.02714 (Additional Miscellaneous Fees and Costs: Government Code), Government Code.

Repealer: Section 103.02715 (Additional Miscellaneous Fees and Costs: Government Code), Government Code.

SECTION 2. Amends Section 124.005(a), Government Code, to authorize a veterans treatment court program established under this chapter (Veterans Treatment Court Program) to collect from a participant in the program a reasonable program fee not to exceed $1,300, rather than not to exceed $1,000, and certain other fees.

SECTION 3. Amends Chapter 124, Government Code, by adding Section 124.007, as follows:

Sec. 124.007. REPORT. Requires the Texas Veterans Commission, not later than December 1 of each year, to report the following information for the preceding state fiscal year to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and each member of the legislature:

(1) the number of defendants who participated in each veterans treatment court program, the number who successfully completed each program, and the number who did not successfully complete each program; and

(2) the amount of grant funding received by each program.

SECTION 4. Provides that Section 124.005(a), Government Code, as amended by this Act, applies to a person who, on or after the effective date of this Act, enters a veterans treatment court program under Chapter 124, Government Code, regardless of whether the person committed the offense for which the person enters the program before, on, or after the effective date of this Act.

SECTION 5. Provides that, to the extent of any conflict, this Act prevails over another Act of the 86th Legislature, Regular Session, 2019, relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted codes.

SECTION 6. Effective date: September 1, 2019.