By: Toth H.B. No. 2881
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the creation of the Task Force to Reduce Habitual
Incidents of Driving While Intoxicated.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 4, Government Code, is amended
by adding Chapter 423 to read as follows:
CHAPTER 423. TASK FORCE TO REDUCE HABITUAL INCIDENTS OF
DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED.
Sec. 423.001. CREATION. The Task Force to Reduce Habitual
Incidents of Driving While Intoxicated is created.
Sec 423.002. COMPOSITION. The task force is composed of the
following voluntary twelve members:
(a) six member appointed by the governor, consisting of:
(1) one member who is a judge from a Texas specialty
court;
(2) one member with expertise in specialty courts
designed to address addiction;
(3) one member who has been charged with or convicted
of a Driving While Intoxicated offense;
(4) one member who has been a victim of a Driving While
Intoxicated offense;
(5) one member who has expertise in criminal justice;
and
(6) one member who has expertise in best practice
substance abuse treatment;
(b) three members appointed by the lieutenant governor, one
of whom is a prosecuting attorney, one of whom is a public defense
attorney, and one of whom is a university scholar with expertise in
substance abuse treatment; and,
(c) three members appointed by the speaker of the house of
representatives, one of whom is a state representative, one of whom
is a state senator, and one of whom is appropriately qualified as
determined by the speaker.
Sec. 423.003. APPOINTMENT OF PRESIDING OFFICER. The
governor shall designate a member of the task force to serve as
presiding officer.
Sec. 423.004. DUTIES. (a) The task force shall study the
best practice responses to habitual driving while intoxicated
offenses, for purposes of reducing habitual incidents of driving
while intoxicated and incidents of driving fatalities among
intoxicated drivers.
(b) The task force shall compile a detailed report of its
findings and make recommendations for the adoption and
implementation of best practice responses to habitual driving while
intoxicated and shall submit the report to the governor, the
lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of
representatives not later the December 1, 2014.
(c) The task force shall have the assistance of the Texas
Legislative Council and the Legislative Budget Board in performing
its duties.
Sec 423.005. EXPIRATION. The task force is abolished and
this Act expires on January 1, 2015.
SECTION 2. The appointments to the Task Force to Reduce
Habitual Incidents of Driving While Intoxicated required by Chapter
423, Government Code, as added by this Act, shall be made as soon as
practicable after the effective date of this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2013.