By: Huffman S.B. No. 1264
(Alvarado)
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to psychological counseling for certain grand jurors.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Article 56.04(f), Code of Criminal Procedure, is
amended to read as follows:
(f) The commissioners court may approve a program in which
the crime victim liaison or victim assistance coordinator may offer
not more than 10 hours of post-investigation or posttrial
psychological counseling for a person who serves as a grand juror,
alternate grand juror, juror, or [an] alternate juror in a grand
jury investigation or criminal trial involving graphic evidence or
testimony and who requests the post-investigation or posttrial
psychological counseling not later than the 180th day after the
date on which the grand jury or jury [in the trial] is dismissed.
The crime victim liaison or victim assistance coordinator may
provide the counseling using a provider that assists local criminal
justice agencies in providing similar services to victims.
SECTION 2. Section 61.003(a), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) Each person who reports for jury service shall be
personally provided a form letter that when signed by the person
directs the county treasurer to donate all, or a specific amount
designated by the person, of the person's daily reimbursement under
this chapter to:
(1) the compensation to victims of crime fund under
Subchapter B, Chapter 56, Code of Criminal Procedure;
(2) the child welfare, child protective services, or
child services board of the county appointed under Section 264.005,
Family Code, that serves abused and neglected children;
(3) any program selected by the commissioners court
that is operated by a public or private nonprofit organization and
that provides shelter and services to victims of family violence;
(4) any other program approved by the commissioners
court of the county, including a program established under Article
56.04(f), Code of Criminal Procedure, that offers psychological
counseling [to jurors] in criminal cases involving graphic evidence
or testimony; or
(5) a veterans court program established by the
commissioners court as provided by Chapter 124.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.