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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to measures to improve community supervision outcomes. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 509.003, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsections (e), (f), and (g) to read as follows: |
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(e) The division shall allow departments to implement |
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reporting intervals for defendants directly supervised by the |
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departments that are determined by risk, with higher-risk |
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defendants reporting at more frequent intervals than lower-risk |
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defendants. A reporting interval for a low-risk defendant may not |
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exceed 12 months. |
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(f) The division shall prepare and make available guidance |
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documents to assist departments and judges in determining best |
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practices for the use of progressive sanctions. |
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(g) The division shall implement an online technical |
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assistance library that includes online training for purposes of |
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improving the rate of successful completion of community |
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supervision for all departments and judges in this state. |
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SECTION 2. Section 509.011, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: |
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(a-1) The division may not reduce the amount of funding |
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payable to a department under Subsection (a) based on the reporting |
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interval of a defendant supervised by the department. |
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SECTION 3. Section 509.013, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: |
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(c) The division shall ensure that a portion of funds used |
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for grant programs are available for grants to departments for the |
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purpose of employing certified peer support specialists, certified |
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recovery coaches, and certified reentry support specialists to |
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provide peer-to-peer support for defendants on community |
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supervision and to assist those defendants in successfully |
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completing the period of community supervision. |
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SECTION 4. Chapter 509, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Sections 509.019 and 509.020 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 509.019. ANNUAL REPORT ON COMMUNITY SUPERVISION |
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OUTCOMES. (a) Not later than February 1 of each year, the division |
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shall submit a report to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the |
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speaker of the house of representatives, each member of the |
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legislature, each department, and each district court, office of an |
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attorney representing the state, and public defender's office in |
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this state. The report must include: |
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(1) community supervision outcomes for the preceding |
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calendar year for each department, county, district court, and |
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statutory county court with criminal jurisdiction, including: |
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(A) the revocation rate of defendants placed on |
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community supervision; and |
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(B) the proportion of terminations of the period |
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of community supervision that resulted in: |
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(i) the defendant receiving a discharge |
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following successful completion of community supervision; |
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(ii) the defendant receiving a discharge |
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following an early termination of community supervision under |
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Article 42A.111 or 42A.701, Code of Criminal Procedure; or |
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(iii) the revocation of community |
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supervision; |
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(2) a comparison of the outcomes described by |
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Subdivision (1) to: |
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(A) the statewide average for the outcomes; and |
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(B) if applicable, the outcomes of comparable |
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courts that have a rate of successful completion of community |
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supervision that is above the statewide average; and |
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(3) a detailed summary of the division's efforts to |
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reduce the revocation rate of defendants placed on community |
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supervision. |
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(b) The division shall make the report available on the |
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division's Internet website. |
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Sec. 509.020. PROGRAM FOR IMPROVING RATE OF SUCCESSFUL |
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COMPLETION OF COMMUNITY SUPERVISION. (a) The division shall |
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implement a program in which departments and judges of courts with a |
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rate of successful completion of community supervision that is |
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above the statewide average provide training and technical |
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assistance to other departments and judges for the purpose of |
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improving the successful completion rate of those departments and |
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judges. |
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(b) If a department has a rate of successful completion of |
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community supervision that is below the statewide average, the |
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division shall require as a condition to payment of state aid under |
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Section 509.011 that the department receive training through the |
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program implemented under this section until the department's rate |
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of successful completion of community supervision exceeds the |
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statewide average. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |