86R19836 YDB-F
 
  By: Price, Murr, Moody, Minjarez H.B. No. 2955
 
  Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2955:
 
  By:  Neave C.S.H.B. No. 2955
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to oversight of specialty court programs.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 121.002, Government Code, is amended by
  amending Subsections (c) and (d) and adding Subsections (f) and (g)
  to read as follows:
         (c)  Notwithstanding any other law, a specialty court
  program may not operate until the judge, magistrate, or
  coordinator:
               (1)  provides to the Office of Court Administration of
  the Texas Judicial System [criminal justice division of the
  governor's office]:
                     (A)  written notice of the program;
                     (B)  any resolution or other official declaration
  under which the program was established; and
                     (C)  a copy of the applicable strategic plan that
  incorporates duties related to supervision that will be required
  under the program; and
               (2)  receives from the office [division] written
  verification of the program's compliance with Subdivision (1).
         (d)  A specialty court program shall:
               (1)  comply with all programmatic best practices
  recommended by the Specialty Courts Advisory Council under Section
  772.0061(b)(2) and approved by the Texas Judicial Council; and
               (2)  report to the criminal justice division of the
  governor's office and the Texas Judicial Council any information
  required by the division or council regarding the performance of
  the program.
         (f)  The Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial
  System shall:
               (1)  on request provide technical assistance to the
  specialty court programs;
               (2)  coordinate with an entity funded by the criminal
  justice division of the governor's office that provides services to
  specialty court programs;
               (3)  monitor compliance of the specialty court programs
  with the programmatic best practices as required by Subsection
  (d)(1); and
               (4)  notify the criminal justice division about each
  specialty court program that is not in compliance with the
  programmatic best practices as required by Subsection (d)(1).
         (g)  The Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial
  System shall coordinate with and provide information to the
  criminal justice division of the governor's office on request of
  the division.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.