Bill Text: TX HB2455 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to the establishment of a task force to promote uniformity in the collection and reporting of information relating to family violence, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2015-06-16 - Effective immediately [HB2455 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-HB2455-Enrolled.html
H.B. No. 2455 |
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relating to the establishment of a task force to promote uniformity | ||
in the collection and reporting of information relating to family | ||
violence, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Chapter 72, Government Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subchapter F to read as follows: | ||
SUBCHAPTER F. TASK FORCE TO PROMOTE UNIFORMITY IN COLLECTION AND | ||
REPORTING OF INFORMATION ON FAMILY VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, | ||
STALKING, AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING | ||
Sec. 72.101. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: | ||
(1) "Dating violence" has the meaning assigned by | ||
Section 71.0021, Family Code. | ||
(2) "Family violence" has the meaning assigned by | ||
Section 71.004, Family Code. | ||
(3) "Task force" means the task force established | ||
under this subchapter to promote uniformity in the collection and | ||
reporting of information relating to family violence, sexual | ||
assault, stalking, and human trafficking. | ||
Sec. 72.102. TASK FORCE MEMBERSHIP. (a) The task force | ||
consists of: | ||
(1) one member from the office, appointed by the | ||
director; | ||
(2) 16 members appointed by the presiding officer of | ||
the task force as follows: | ||
(A) one member from the bureau of identification | ||
and records of the Department of Public Safety; | ||
(B) one member from a statewide family violence | ||
advocacy organization; | ||
(C) one member from a statewide sexual assault | ||
advocacy organization; | ||
(D) one member who is a prosecuting attorney with | ||
experience in obtaining protective orders in cases involving family | ||
violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking; | ||
(E) one member who is a magistrate with | ||
experience in issuing orders for emergency protection under Article | ||
17.292, Code of Criminal Procedure; | ||
(F) one member who is a judge or an associate | ||
judge with experience in issuing protective orders in cases | ||
involving family violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human | ||
trafficking; | ||
(G) one member from The University of Texas | ||
School of Law Domestic Violence Clinic; | ||
(H) one member who is from an organization that | ||
receives federal funding under the legal assistance for victims | ||
grant program and who has expertise in issues related to family | ||
violence, sexual assault, or stalking; | ||
(I) two members from a law enforcement agency, | ||
including one member who is a constable; | ||
(J) one member from the Texas Center for the | ||
Judiciary; | ||
(K) one member from the Texas Municipal Courts | ||
Education Center; | ||
(L) one member from the Texas Justice Court | ||
Training Center; | ||
(M) one member from the County and District | ||
Clerks' Association of Texas; | ||
(N) one member from the child support division of | ||
the office of the attorney general; and | ||
(O) one member from the Texas Education Agency; | ||
and | ||
(3) any other member whom the presiding officer | ||
determines to be appropriate and who consents to serve on the task | ||
force. | ||
(b) The presiding officer of the task force is the member | ||
who represents the office. | ||
(c) Appointed members of the task force serve at the will of | ||
the appointing authority. A vacancy on the task force must be | ||
filled in the same manner as the original appointment. | ||
Sec. 72.103. MEETINGS; COMPENSATION. (a) The task force | ||
shall meet at the call of the presiding officer. | ||
(b) Members of the task force serve without compensation or | ||
reimbursement for expenses. | ||
Sec. 72.104. DUTIES. (a) The task force shall: | ||
(1) solicit and receive reports and testimony from | ||
individuals, state and local agencies, community-based | ||
organizations, and other public and private organizations, | ||
including: | ||
(A) survivors of family violence, sexual | ||
assault, stalking, or human trafficking; | ||
(B) law enforcement officials whose duties | ||
include submitting information to the Texas Crime Information | ||
Center; | ||
(C) individuals with technical expertise in and | ||
familiarity with the programming and maintenance of the database | ||
maintained by the Texas Crime Information Center; | ||
(D) individuals with technical expertise in and | ||
familiarity with the office's database on family violence; and | ||
(E) individuals with expertise in issues related | ||
to family violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking; | ||
and | ||
(2) develop policy recommendations and best practices | ||
guidelines for the uniform collection and reporting of information | ||
relating to: | ||
(A) family violence, sexual assault, stalking, | ||
and human trafficking; and | ||
(B) the implementation of dating violence | ||
training and awareness education in public schools under Section | ||
37.0831, Education Code. | ||
(b) In developing policy recommendations and best practices | ||
guidelines under Subsection (a)(2), the task force shall examine | ||
best practices regarding uniform data collection and reporting and | ||
any studies or reports that the task force considers relevant. | ||
Sec. 72.105. REPORT. Not later than September 1, 2016, the | ||
task force shall prepare and submit to the governor, the lieutenant | ||
governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the | ||
appropriate standing committees of the legislature a report that | ||
includes: | ||
(1) a description of the activities of the task force; | ||
(2) the findings and recommendations of the task | ||
force, including the policy recommendations and best practices | ||
guidelines developed by the task force under Section 72.104(a)(2); | ||
and | ||
(3) any other matter that the task force considers | ||
appropriate. | ||
Sec. 72.106. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT. The office shall | ||
provide reasonably necessary administrative and technical support | ||
for the activities of the task force. | ||
Sec. 72.107. ASSISTANCE WITH RECOMMENDATIONS. The office | ||
shall seek the assistance of the task force before the office makes | ||
any recommendation as a result of the work done by the task force. | ||
Sec. 72.108. EXPIRATION DATE. The task force is abolished | ||
and this subchapter expires on September 1, 2017. | ||
SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date | ||
of this Act, the appropriate persons shall appoint the members of | ||
the task force created by Subchapter F, Chapter 72, Government | ||
Code, as added by this Act. | ||
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, 2015. | ||
______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
I certify that H.B. No. 2455 was passed by the House on May 5, | ||
2015, by the following vote: Yeas 143, Nays 2, 2 present, not | ||
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. | ||
No. 2455 on May 21, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 143, Nays 1, | ||
2 present, not voting. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||
I certify that H.B. No. 2455 was passed by the Senate, with | ||
amendments, on May 20, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays | ||
0. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate | ||
APPROVED: __________________ | ||
Date | ||
__________________ | ||
Governor |