Bill Text: TX HB1771 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Enrolled

Texas House Bill 1771 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Relating to the establishment of the Specialty Courts Advisory Council.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 2)

Status: (Passed) 2011-06-17 - Effective immediately [HB1771 Detail]

Download: Texas-2011-HB1771-Enrolled.html



	H.B. No. 1771




	AN ACT
	relating to the establishment of the Specialty Courts Advisory
	Council.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1. Chapter 772, Government Code, is amended by
	adding Section 772.0061 to read as follows:
	Sec. 772.0061. SPECIALTY COURTS ADVISORY COUNCIL. (a) In
	this section:
	(1) "Council" means the Specialty Courts Advisory
	Council.
	(2) "Specialty court" means:
	(A) a drug court program established under
	Chapter 469, Health and Safety Code;
	(B) a mental health court program established
	under Chapter 616, Health and Safety Code; and
	(C) a veterans court program established under
	Chapter 617, Health and Safety Code.
	(b) The governor shall establish the Specialty Courts
	Advisory Council within the criminal justice division established
	under Section 772.006 to evaluate applications for grant funding
	for specialty courts in this state and to make funding
	recommendations to the criminal justice division.
	(c) The council is composed of seven members appointed by
	the governor as follows:
	(1) three members with experience as judges of a
	specialty court; and
	(2) four members who represent the public.
	(d) The members appointed under Subsection (c)(2) must:
	(1) reside in various geographic regions of the state;
	and
	(2) have experience practicing law in a specialty
	court or possess knowledge and expertise in a field relating to
	behavioral or mental health issues or to substance abuse treatment.
	(e) Members are appointed for staggered six-year terms. The
	terms of either two or three members, as applicable, expire
	February 1 of each odd-numbered year.
	(f) A person may not be a member of the council if the person
	is required to register as a lobbyist under Chapter 305 because of
	the person's activities for compensation on behalf of a profession
	related to the operation of the council.
	(g) If a vacancy occurs on the council, the governor shall
	appoint a person to serve for the remainder of the unexpired term.
	(h) The council shall select a presiding officer.
	(i) The council shall meet at the call of its presiding
	officer or at the request of the governor.
	SECTION 2. Not later than February 1, 2012, the governor
	shall appoint the members of the Specialty Courts Advisory Council
	created by Section 772.0061, Government Code, as added by this Act.
	The governor shall appoint two members to terms expiring February
	1, 2013, two members to terms expiring February 1, 2015, and three
	members to terms expiring February 1, 2017.
	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
	Act takes effect September 1, 2011.


	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House


	I certify that H.B. No. 1771 was passed by the House on April
	26, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 148, Nays 0, 2 present, not
	voting.

	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House


	I certify that H.B. No. 1771 was passed by the Senate on May
	20, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0
	.

	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	APPROVED: _____________________
	Date

	_____________________
	Governor