| 3 | 2 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 6 | 5 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 7 | 6 | | relating to a study on the adjudication of juveniles charged with |
|---|
| 8 | 7 | | misdemeanors punishable by fine only and the use of certain terms |
|---|
| 9 | 8 | | signifying age in the criminal justice and juvenile justice |
|---|
| 10 | 9 | | statutes of this state. |
|---|
| 11 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 12 | 11 | | SECTION 1. (a) The Office of Court Administration of the |
|---|
| 13 | 12 | | Texas Judicial System shall conduct a study to examine the use of |
|---|
| 14 | 13 | | the terms "juvenile," "child," and "minor" throughout the criminal |
|---|
| 15 | 14 | | justice and juvenile justice statutes of this state and the varying |
|---|
| 16 | 15 | | definitions assigned those terms. The study shall also determine |
|---|
| 17 | 16 | | whether: |
|---|
| 18 | 17 | | (1) adjudication under the adult criminal justice |
|---|
| 19 | 18 | | system of juveniles charged with misdemeanors punishable by fine |
|---|
| 20 | 19 | | only is just and efficient; and |
|---|
| 21 | 20 | | (2) certain procedures under the juvenile justice |
|---|
| 22 | 21 | | system if used in the adjudication of juveniles charged with |
|---|
| 23 | 22 | | misdemeanors punishable by fine only would provide a more just and |
|---|
| 24 | 23 | | efficient process for responding to violations of the law by |
|---|
| 25 | 24 | | juvenile offenders. |
|---|
| 26 | 25 | | (b) In conducting the study under Subsection (a) of this |
|---|
| 27 | 26 | | section, the Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial |
|---|
| 28 | 27 | | System shall consult with the chair of the senate criminal justice |
|---|
| 29 | 28 | | committee, the chair of the juvenile justice and family issues |
|---|
| 30 | 29 | | committee of the house of representatives, and the chair of the |
|---|
| 31 | 30 | | corrections committee of the house of representatives. |
|---|
| 32 | 31 | | (c) Not later than December 1, 2018, the Office of Court |
|---|
| 33 | 32 | | Administration of the Texas Judicial System shall submit a report |
|---|
| 34 | 33 | | containing the results of the study conducted under Subsection (a) |
|---|
| 35 | 34 | | of this section to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the |
|---|
| 36 | 35 | | speaker of the house of representatives, and the appropriate |
|---|
| 37 | 36 | | standing committees of the senate and the house of representatives. |
|---|
| 38 | 37 | | SECTION 2. This Act expires December 1, 2019. |
|---|
| 39 | 38 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
|---|