Texas House Bill HB1351

Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

• Out of House Committee: 4/30/09

Caption

Relating to the administration of the Juvenile Justice Case Management System.

Impact

By mandating the participation of the commission in the creation and maintenance of a comprehensive juvenile information system, HB1351 impacts the state law regulating juvenile justice. It instructs the commission to ensure that all pertinent data related to juvenile crimes and offenders are collected consistently. This structured approach could lead to better-informed decisions regarding juvenile justice policies and practices across different jurisdictions, potentially enhancing the overall effectiveness of the juvenile justice system in Texas.

Summary

House Bill 1351 is designed to amend existing provisions of the Texas Family Code concerning the administration of the Juvenile Justice Case Management System. The bill aims to enhance the statewide system that facilitates the processing of juvenile cases, improves the delivery of services to children in the juvenile system, identifies at-risk and delinquent children, and allows for cross-jurisdictional sharing of information among agencies. This evolution in the juvenile management system seeks to create a more collaborative and efficient method of handling juvenile offenders while maintaining crucial data integrity.

Contention

There may be points of contention surrounding the balance of information sharing as proposed in this bill. Stakeholders may debate the implications of cross-jurisdictional information sharing, especially concerning privacy concerns and the potential for misuse of sensitive data. Critics may argue that while the intent is to improve services and outcomes for juveniles, there needs to be stringent oversight and safeguards to protect the rights of the youth involved. Ensuring transparency and accountability in how the collected data is used will be crucial for gaining community support for this bill.