H.B. No. 2955
AN ACT
relating to oversight of specialty court programs.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 121.002, Government Code, is amended by
amending Subsections (c) and (d) and adding Subsections (f) and (g)
to read as follows:
(c) Notwithstanding any other law, a specialty court
program may not operate until the judge, magistrate, or
coordinator:
(1) provides to the Office of Court Administration of
the Texas Judicial System [criminal justice division of the
governor's office]:
(A) written notice of the program;
(B) any resolution or other official declaration
under which the program was established; and
(C) a copy of the applicable strategic plan that
incorporates duties related to supervision that will be required
under the program; and
(2) receives from the office [division] written
verification of the program's compliance with Subdivision (1).
(d) A specialty court program shall:
(1) comply with all programmatic best practices
recommended by the Specialty Courts Advisory Council under Section
772.0061(b)(2) and approved by the Texas Judicial Council; and
(2) report to the criminal justice division of the
governor's office and the Texas Judicial Council any information
required by the division or council regarding the performance of
the program.
(f) The Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial
System shall:
(1) on request provide technical assistance to the
specialty court programs;
(2) coordinate with an entity funded by the criminal
justice division of the governor's office that provides services to
specialty court programs;
(3) monitor compliance of the specialty court programs
with the programmatic best practices as required by Subsection
(d)(1); and
(4) notify the criminal justice division about each
specialty court program that is not in compliance with the
programmatic best practices as required by Subsection (d)(1).
(g) The Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial
System shall coordinate with and provide information to the
criminal justice division of the governor's office on request of
the division.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 2955 was passed by the House on April
24, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 148, Nays 0, 1 present, not
voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 2955 was passed by the Senate on May
22, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _____________________
Date
_____________________
Governor