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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the punishment for contempt of court by a truancy court. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 65.251(a), Family Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) If a child fails to obey an order issued by a truancy |
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court under Section 65.103(a) or a child is in direct contempt of |
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court, the truancy court, after providing notice and an opportunity |
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for a hearing, may hold the child in contempt of court and order any |
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[either or both] of the following: |
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(1) that the child pay a fine not to exceed $100; [or] |
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(2) that the Department of Public Safety suspend the |
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child's driver's license or permit or, if the child does not have a |
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license or permit, order that the Department of Public Safety deny |
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the issuance of a license or permit to the child until the child |
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fully complies with the court's orders; |
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(3) that the child complete not more than eight hours |
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of community service; or |
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(4) that the child be confined in a secure juvenile |
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detention facility for not more than one day. |
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SECTION 2. Section 65.251(e), Family Code, is repealed. |
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SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to a child who fails to obey an order issued by a truancy court under |
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Section 65.103(a), Family Code, or who is found to be in contempt of |
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court on or after the effective date of this Act. Failure to obey an |
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order issued under that section or a finding of contempt of court |
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that occurs before the effective date of this Act is governed by the |
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law in effect on the date the order or finding occurred, and the |
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former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |