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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the implementation of a statewide case management |
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system for judicial case information. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 72, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 72.0305 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 72.0305. STATEWIDE CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. (a) The |
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office shall implement a statewide case management system: |
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(1) to provide to counties and the Department of |
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Public Safety immediate access to judicial case information; and |
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(2) for timely reporting of criminal history and |
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mental health records and domestic violence protective orders for |
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background checks. |
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(b) The statewide case management system must: |
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(1) include each document or pleading filed for a |
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felony criminal matter, mental health adjudication, or domestic |
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violence protective order in a state court unless electronic filing |
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for the document or pleading is prohibited under any other law; |
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(2) allow state court judges access to the system for |
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criminal offense sentencing determinations or to perform other |
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duties assigned by law; |
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(3) allow counties and the Department of Public Safety |
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access to information in the system necessary to perform duties |
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assigned by law; |
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(4) automatically deliver arrest and conviction |
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information, conditions of bond, mental health adjudication |
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records, guardianship orders, and domestic violence protective |
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order information to counties and the Department of Public Safety |
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as necessary to perform duties assigned by law; |
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(5) maximize the automation and transmission of |
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criminal history and mental health records to the National Instant |
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Criminal Background Check System operated by the Federal Bureau of |
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Investigation and any other state or national criminal and mental |
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health record repositories determined by the office to be |
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appropriate; |
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(6) to the extent feasible, integrate with the |
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electronic filing system established under Section 72.031; |
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(7) provide a method for archiving expired domestic |
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violence protection orders; and |
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(8) provide privacy protections for sealed records and |
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other records protected by law. |
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(c) The office shall initially focus on establishing the |
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system in counties with a population of less than 20,000 and expand |
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the system to larger counties as time and money allow. |
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(d) Information in the statewide case management system is |
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exempt from disclosure under Chapter 552. |
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(e) The Department of Public Safety shall assist the office |
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in implementing the statewide case management system and ensuring |
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the system interacts with existing state and national criminal and |
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mental health record repositories. The office and department may |
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enter into a memorandum of understanding stating the duties of each |
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agency in implementing the system. |
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SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the Office of Court Administration of the Texas |
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Judicial System shall implement the statewide case management |
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system required by Section 72.0305, Government Code, as added by |
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this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |