89R14217 MZM-F

By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 1946

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the creation of a family violence criminal homicide prevention task force.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 772, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 772.0065 to read as follows:

Sec. 772.0065. FAMILY VIOLENCE CRIMINAL HOMICIDE PREVENTION TASK FORCE. (a) In this section:

(1) "Criminal homicide" means an offense under Chapter 19, Penal Code.

(2) "Family violence" has the meaning assigned by Section 71.004, Family Code.

(3) "Steering committee" means the steering committee of the Family Violence Criminal Homicide Prevention Task Force established by Subsection (c).

(4) "Task force" means the Family Violence Criminal Homicide Prevention Task Force established by this section.

(b) The governor shall establish the Family Violence Criminal Homicide Prevention Task Force within the criminal justice division established under Section 772.006.

(c) The task force shall include a steering committee composed of the following members:

(1) the governor or the governor's designee; and

(2) the chief executive officer of a statewide family violence advocacy organization or the chief executive officer's designee.

(d) The task force is composed of the following members appointed by the steering committee:

(1) four representatives who are employees or contractors of a family violence center, as defined by Section 51.002, Human Resources Code, from different regions across the state, representing both rural and urban areas;

(2) two representatives of a statewide family violence advocacy organization;

(3) one representative from an organization that operates statewide and provides legal services to victims of family violence;

(4) one representative from each state agency that has duties relating to the prevention, investigation, or prosecution of family violence or that provides services to survivors of family violence, including:

(A) the office of the attorney general;

(B) the Health and Human Services Commission;

(C) the Office of Court Administration;

(D) the Department of State Health Services; and

(E) the Department of Family and Protective Services;

(5) one representative from the family violence program operated by the Health and Human Services Commission;

(6) one representative from the Center for Violence Prevention at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston;

(7) the president of the Texas District and County Attorneys Association or the president's designee;

(8) the executive director of the Texas Municipal Police Association or the executive director's designee;

(9) the executive director of the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement or the executive director's designee;

(10) one representative of the Texas Violent Death Reporting System;

(11) one representative from a domestic violence high risk team described by Section 402.039;

(12) two survivors of family violence; and

(13) additional members as considered appropriate by the steering committee.

(e) An appointed member serves at the pleasure of the steering committee.

(f) The governor shall designate one member of the task force to serve as the presiding officer.

(g) The task force shall meet at the call of the presiding officer.

(h) The task force shall use any available federal or state funding for the purposes of this section.

(i) The steering committee may establish one or more working groups, composed of members of the task force, to focus on specific issues regarding the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of family violence criminal homicide.

(j) The task force shall:

(1) analyze the top risk factors that may lead to family violence criminal homicide;

(2) advise and provide resources to state agencies and nonprofit organizations to develop and improve training for professionals who interact with survivors of family violence;

(3) collect, analyze, and make publicly available information, organized by region, regarding:

(A) the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of family violence criminal homicide and other family violence offenses; and

(B) services provided to family violence survivors, including a list of family violence advocacy organizations; and

(4) develop policy recommendations to assist the state in:

(A) effectively coordinating services to family violence survivors and funding to organizations that provide services to survivors; and

(B) more effectively preventing, investigating, and prosecuting incidents of family violence criminal homicide.

(k) Chapter 2110, Government Code, does not apply to the task force.

(l) A task force member who is not employed by a state agency or an individual invited by the presiding officer to participate in a scheduled task force meeting is entitled to:

(1) a per diem in the amount provided by the General Appropriations Act for each day the member performs duties as a task force member or the individual attends a task force meeting; and

(2) reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses incurred in performing duties as a member or participant of the task force, as applicable.

(m) Not later than December 1, 2026, the task force shall submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives a written report containing the task force's findings and recommendations for legislative or other action.

(n) The task force is abolished and this section expires January 1, 2028.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.