| 1 | 1 | | 86R16618 EAS-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: White H.B. No. 4607 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the construction of small occupancy facilities by the |
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| 8 | 8 | | Texas Juvenile Justice Department. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 242, Human Resources Code, |
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| 11 | 11 | | is amended by adding Section 242.0525 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 242.0525. SMALL OCCUPANCY FACILITIES. (a) The |
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| 13 | 13 | | department shall construct small occupancy facilities with the |
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| 14 | 14 | | purpose of gradually closing and replacing the large, remote secure |
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| 15 | 15 | | facilities operated by the department. In constructing the small |
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| 16 | 16 | | occupancy facilities, the department shall ensure that each small |
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| 17 | 17 | | occupancy facility: |
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| 18 | 18 | | (1) provides a therapeutic and rehabilitative |
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| 19 | 19 | | setting; |
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| 20 | 20 | | (2) provides housing for not more than 40 children; |
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| 21 | 21 | | and |
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| 22 | 22 | | (3) is constructed in conjunction with the |
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| 23 | 23 | | regionalization plan described by Section 203.017. |
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| 24 | 24 | | (b) Not later than July 1, 2020, the department shall |
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| 25 | 25 | | complete the construction of five small occupancy facilities. Not |
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| 26 | 26 | | later than July 1, 2021, the department shall complete the |
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| 27 | 27 | | construction of five additional small occupancy facilities. |
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| 28 | 28 | | (c) After the completion of construction of each small |
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| 29 | 29 | | occupancy facility, the department, in coordination with the office |
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| 30 | 30 | | of inspector general, shall move children who are committed to the |
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| 31 | 31 | | large, remote secure facilities operated by the department into the |
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| 32 | 32 | | small occupancy facility. |
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| 33 | 33 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
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