| 7 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 8 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 9 | 5 | | |
|---|
| 10 | 6 | | |
|---|
| 11 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 12 | 8 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 13 | 9 | | relating to the role of advocacy and support groups in the juvenile |
|---|
| 14 | 10 | | justice system. |
|---|
| 15 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 16 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Section 203.017(b-1), Human Resources Code, is |
|---|
| 17 | 13 | | amended to read as follows: |
|---|
| 18 | 14 | | (b-1) In addition to the requirements of Subsection (b), in |
|---|
| 19 | 15 | | developing the regionalization plan, the department shall consult |
|---|
| 20 | 16 | | with: |
|---|
| 21 | 17 | | (1) the advisory council on juvenile services; |
|---|
| 22 | 18 | | (2) juvenile probation departments; |
|---|
| 23 | 19 | | (3) regional juvenile probation associations; |
|---|
| 24 | 20 | | (4) [advocacy groups; |
|---|
| 25 | 21 | | [(5)] parents and guardians of children under the |
|---|
| 26 | 22 | | jurisdiction of the department; |
|---|
| 27 | 23 | | (5) [(6)] individuals formerly involved in the |
|---|
| 28 | 24 | | juvenile justice system; and |
|---|
| 29 | 25 | | (6) [(7)] any other stakeholder the department |
|---|
| 30 | 26 | | determines may be helpful. |
|---|
| 31 | 27 | | SECTION 2. Section 242.056, Human Resources Code, is |
|---|
| 32 | 28 | | amended by amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsections |
|---|
| 33 | 29 | | (d), (e), and (f) to read as follows: |
|---|
| 34 | 30 | | (a) If the department finds that the involvement of an |
|---|
| 35 | 31 | | advocacy or support group is in the best interest of a child, the |
|---|
| 36 | 32 | | [The] department may [shall] allow an advocacy or [and] support |
|---|
| 37 | 33 | | group [groups] whose primary function is [functions are] to benefit |
|---|
| 38 | 34 | | children, inmates, girls and women, persons with mental illness, or |
|---|
| 39 | 35 | | victims of sexual assault to provide on-site information, support, |
|---|
| 40 | 36 | | and other services for the child [children] confined in a |
|---|
| 41 | 37 | | department facility [facilities]. |
|---|
| 42 | 38 | | (b) The department shall adopt security and privacy |
|---|
| 43 | 39 | | procedures for advocacy and support groups that provide on-site |
|---|
| 44 | 40 | | information, support, and other services under this section. [The |
|---|
| 45 | 41 | | security and privacy procedures may not be designed to deny an |
|---|
| 46 | 42 | | advocacy or support group access to children confined in department |
|---|
| 47 | 43 | | facilities.] |
|---|
| 48 | 44 | | (d) Except as provided by Subsection (e), the department |
|---|
| 49 | 45 | | shall deny admission to a department facility to an advocacy or |
|---|
| 50 | 46 | | support group that has filed: |
|---|
| 51 | 47 | | (1) a complaint with the federal government regarding |
|---|
| 52 | 48 | | the department, while the investigation regarding the complaint is |
|---|
| 53 | 49 | | pending; or |
|---|
| 54 | 50 | | (2) a lawsuit against the department, while the |
|---|
| 55 | 51 | | lawsuit is pending. |
|---|
| 56 | 52 | | (e) The department shall allow an advocacy or support group |
|---|
| 57 | 53 | | to provide information, support, or services under this section if |
|---|
| 58 | 54 | | admission of an advocacy or support group to a department facility |
|---|
| 59 | 55 | | is required by federal law. |
|---|
| 60 | 56 | | (f) Nothing in this section may be construed to prevent an |
|---|
| 61 | 57 | | attorney from meeting with a client or a potential client that has |
|---|
| 62 | 58 | | inquired about the attorney's services. |
|---|
| 63 | 59 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
|---|