| 6 | 4 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 7 | 5 | | relating to psychological counseling for certain grand jurors. |
|---|
| 8 | 6 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 9 | 7 | | SECTION 1. Article 56.04(f), Code of Criminal Procedure, is |
|---|
| 10 | 8 | | amended to read as follows: |
|---|
| 11 | 9 | | (f) The commissioners court may approve a program in which |
|---|
| 12 | 10 | | the crime victim liaison or victim assistance coordinator may offer |
|---|
| 13 | 11 | | not more than 10 hours of post-investigation or posttrial |
|---|
| 14 | 12 | | psychological counseling for a person who serves as a grand juror, |
|---|
| 15 | 13 | | alternate grand juror, juror, or [an] alternate juror in a grand |
|---|
| 16 | 14 | | jury investigation or criminal trial involving graphic evidence or |
|---|
| 17 | 15 | | testimony and who requests the post-investigation or posttrial |
|---|
| 18 | 16 | | psychological counseling not later than the 180th day after the |
|---|
| 19 | 17 | | date on which the grand jury or jury [in the trial] is dismissed. |
|---|
| 20 | 18 | | The crime victim liaison or victim assistance coordinator may |
|---|
| 21 | 19 | | provide the counseling using a provider that assists local criminal |
|---|
| 22 | 20 | | justice agencies in providing similar services to victims. |
|---|
| 23 | 21 | | SECTION 2. Section 61.003(a), Government Code, is amended |
|---|
| 24 | 22 | | to read as follows: |
|---|
| 25 | 23 | | (a) Each person who reports for jury service shall be |
|---|
| 26 | 24 | | personally provided a form letter that when signed by the person |
|---|
| 27 | 25 | | directs the county treasurer to donate all, or a specific amount |
|---|
| 28 | 26 | | designated by the person, of the person's daily reimbursement under |
|---|
| 29 | 27 | | this chapter to: |
|---|
| 30 | 28 | | (1) the compensation to victims of crime fund under |
|---|
| 31 | 29 | | Subchapter B, Chapter 56, Code of Criminal Procedure; |
|---|
| 32 | 30 | | (2) the child welfare, child protective services, or |
|---|
| 33 | 31 | | child services board of the county appointed under Section 264.005, |
|---|
| 34 | 32 | | Family Code, that serves abused and neglected children; |
|---|
| 35 | 33 | | (3) any program selected by the commissioners court |
|---|
| 36 | 34 | | that is operated by a public or private nonprofit organization and |
|---|
| 37 | 35 | | that provides shelter and services to victims of family violence; |
|---|
| 38 | 36 | | (4) any other program approved by the commissioners |
|---|
| 39 | 37 | | court of the county, including a program established under Article |
|---|
| 40 | 38 | | 56.04(f), Code of Criminal Procedure, that offers psychological |
|---|
| 41 | 39 | | counseling [to jurors] in criminal cases involving graphic evidence |
|---|
| 42 | 40 | | or testimony; or |
|---|
| 43 | 41 | | (5) a veterans court program established by the |
|---|
| 44 | 42 | | commissioners court as provided by Chapter 124. |
|---|
| 45 | 43 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
|---|
| 44 | + | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
|---|
| 45 | + | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
|---|
| 46 | + | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1264 passed the Senate on |
|---|
| 47 | + | April 19, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
|---|
| 48 | + | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 49 | + | Secretary of the Senate |
|---|
| 50 | + | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1264 passed the House on |
|---|
| 51 | + | May 21, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 129, Nays 12, one |
|---|
| 52 | + | present not voting. |
|---|
| 53 | + | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 54 | + | Chief Clerk of the House |
|---|
| 55 | + | Approved: |
|---|
| 56 | + | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 57 | + | Date |
|---|
| 58 | + | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 59 | + | Governor |
|---|