| 1 | 1 | | 88R6124 CJD-D |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | By: Vasut H.B. No. 1261 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | relating to the punishment for contempt of court by a truancy court. |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Section 65.251(a), Family Code, is amended to |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | read as follows: |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | (a) If a child fails to obey an order issued by a truancy |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | court under Section 65.103(a) or a child is in direct contempt of |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | court, the truancy court, after providing notice and an opportunity |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | for a hearing, may hold the child in contempt of court and order any |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | [either or both] of the following: |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | (1) that the child pay a fine not to exceed $100; [or] |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | (2) that the Department of Public Safety suspend the |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | child's driver's license or permit or, if the child does not have a |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | license or permit, order that the Department of Public Safety deny |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | the issuance of a license or permit to the child until the child |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | fully complies with the court's orders; |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | (3) that the child complete not more than eight hours |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | of community service; or |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | (4) that the child be confined in a secure juvenile |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | detention facility for not more than one day. |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | SECTION 2. Section 65.251(e), Family Code, is repealed. |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | to a child who fails to obey an order issued by a truancy court under |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | Section 65.103(a), Family Code, or who is found to be in contempt of |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | court on or after the effective date of this Act. Failure to obey an |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | order issued under that section or a finding of contempt of court |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | that occurs before the effective date of this Act is governed by the |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | law in effect on the date the order or finding occurred, and the |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
|---|