| 1 | 1 | | 87R8792 JCG-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Davis H.B. No. 3065 |
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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 creation of a commission to study the terminology of |
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| 8 | 8 | | the penal laws and the justice system of this state. |
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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. COMMISSION TO STUDY TERMINOLOGY OF PENAL LAWS |
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| 11 | 11 | | AND JUSTICE SYSTEM OF THIS STATE. (a) A commission is created to |
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| 12 | 12 | | study and review the terminology used in the penal laws and the |
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| 13 | 13 | | justice system of this state, including the use of the words |
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| 14 | 14 | | "crime," "criminal," "police," "police officer," and other similar |
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| 15 | 15 | | terms. |
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| 16 | 16 | | (b) The commission shall: |
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| 17 | 17 | | (1) consider the use of terminology described by |
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| 18 | 18 | | Subsection (a) of this section and evaluate whether the use of that |
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| 19 | 19 | | terminology has a negative impact on the involvement of persons in |
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| 20 | 20 | | the justice system of this state; and |
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| 21 | 21 | | (2) make recommendations to the legislature regarding |
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| 22 | 22 | | any changes in terminology described by Subsection (a) of this |
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| 23 | 23 | | section that may help to reduce the involvement of persons in the |
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| 24 | 24 | | justice system of this state. |
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| 25 | 25 | | (c) The commission is composed of one representative from |
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| 26 | 26 | | each of the following entities, appointed by the administrative |
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| 27 | 27 | | head of that entity: |
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| 28 | 28 | | (1) the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement; |
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| 29 | 29 | | (2) the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board; |
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| 30 | 30 | | (3) the Caruth Police Institute located at the |
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| 31 | 31 | | University of North Texas at Dallas; |
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| 32 | 32 | | (4) the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas |
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| 33 | 33 | | Retiree Association; and |
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| 34 | 34 | | (5) the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management |
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| 35 | 35 | | Institute of Texas located at Sam Houston State University. |
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| 36 | 36 | | (d) The entities making appointments under Subsection (c) |
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| 37 | 37 | | of this section shall, to the greatest extent practicable, ensure |
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| 38 | 38 | | that the composition of the commission reflects the racial and |
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| 39 | 39 | | ethnic composition of the state. |
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| 40 | 40 | | (e) The members shall designate one member of the commission |
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| 41 | 41 | | to serve as the presiding officer of the commission and another |
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| 42 | 42 | | member of the commission to serve as the assistant presiding |
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| 43 | 43 | | officer of the commission. |
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| 44 | 44 | | (f) A member of the commission is not entitled to |
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| 45 | 45 | | compensation or reimbursement of expenses. |
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| 46 | 46 | | (g) The commission shall meet at the call of the presiding |
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| 47 | 47 | | officer. |
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| 48 | 48 | | (h) As reasonable and necessary for the commission to |
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| 49 | 49 | | fulfill the commission's duties under this Act: |
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| 50 | 50 | | (1) The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement shall |
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| 51 | 51 | | provide administrative support to the commission; and |
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| 52 | 52 | | (2) Prairie View A&M University shall provide research |
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| 53 | 53 | | assistance to the commission. |
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| 54 | 54 | | (i) Not later than November 1, 2022, the commission shall |
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| 55 | 55 | | report the commission's findings and recommendations to the |
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| 56 | 56 | | governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of |
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| 57 | 57 | | representatives, and the standing committees of the house of |
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| 58 | 58 | | representatives and the senate with primary jurisdiction over |
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| 59 | 59 | | criminal justice matters. The commission shall include in its |
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| 60 | 60 | | recommendations any specific statutes that the commission |
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| 61 | 61 | | recommends revising or repealing. |
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| 62 | 62 | | SECTION 2. APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS. Not later than the 60th |
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| 63 | 63 | | day after the effective date of this Act, the entities making |
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| 64 | 64 | | appointments under Section 1(c) of this Act shall appoint the |
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| 65 | 65 | | members of the commission created under this Act. |
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| 66 | 66 | | SECTION 3. ABOLITION OF COMMISSION. The commission is |
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| 67 | 67 | | abolished and this Act expires December 31, 2022. |
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| 68 | 68 | | SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect |
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| 69 | 69 | | immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members |
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| 70 | 70 | | elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas |
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| 71 | 71 | | Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for |
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| 72 | 72 | | immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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