Bill Text: TX HB2869 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to the creation of an advisory committee to study issues related to community supervision and corrections departments.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-04-16 - Left pending in committee [HB2869 Detail]

Download: Texas-2015-HB2869-Introduced.html

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84R11647 MEW-F
By: Allen H.B. No. 2869

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the creation of an advisory committee to study issues
related to community supervision and corrections departments.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act:
(1) "Department" means the Texas Department of
Criminal Justice.
(2) "Division" means the community justice assistance
division of the department.
SECTION 2. ADVISORY COMMITTEE; DUTIES. Not later than
December 1, 2015, the department shall appoint an advisory
committee to:
(1) study:
(A) the funding mechanisms for community
supervision and corrections departments established under Chapter
76, Government Code;
(B) the efficacy of current grant funding
formulas for purposes of meeting public safety needs; and
(C) the process by which the division makes the
determination to allocate grant funding to community supervision
and corrections departments;
(2) review problems facing community supervision and
corrections departments, specifically pertaining to the adequacy
of funding and whether state grant funding allocations fail to
maximize available grant funds intended to decrease community
supervision revocations; and
(3) provide recommendations relating to:
(A) streamlining the division's grant
application process;
(B) increasing the equitable distribution of
grant funds, with a particular emphasis on meeting the needs of
historically underserved communities;
(C) developing community supervision strategies
that result in decreased community supervision revocations; and
(D) decreasing community supervision and
corrections department reliance on fees paid by defendants on
community supervision to fund basic operations.
SECTION 3. APPOINTMENTS; PRESIDING OFFICER. (a) The
department shall determine the size and composition of the advisory
board. The advisory board must include:
(1) representatives of the department;
(2) representatives of community supervision and
corrections departments established under Chapter 76, Government
Code, who represent small, medium, and large jurisdictions with
experience in decreasing community supervision revocations;
(3) a diverse range of community supervision and
corrections department directors with knowledge of existing
disparities in funding and grant awards;
(4) district or county attorneys;
(5) criminal defense attorneys;
(6) representatives of criminal justice reform
organizations;
(7) judges who have demonstrated a deep understanding
of evidence-based practices in community supervision and the effect
of those practices on community safety and the use of taxpayer
funds;
(8) individuals with expertise in issues related to
substance abuse, mental health, or post-traumatic stress disorder;
(9) individuals who have successfully completed
community supervision; and
(10) any other individuals or representatives of
organizations the department determines would be of assistance in
addressing the problems facing community supervision and
corrections departments.
(b) The advisory committee shall elect one of its members as
the presiding officer of the committee.
SECTION 4. REPORT. (a) Not later than September 1, 2016,
the advisory committee shall submit a report containing the
recommendations developed under Section 2 of this Act to:
(1) the department and the division;
(2) the governor;
(3) the lieutenant governor;
(4) the speaker of the house of representatives; and
(5) the standing committees in the senate and house of
representatives primarily responsible for criminal justice issues.
(b) The department shall make the report submitted under
Subsection (a) of this section available to the public and shall
publish the report on its Internet website.
SECTION 5. COMPENSATION. Members of the advisory committee
serve without compensation and are not entitled to reimbursement
for expenses.
SECTION 6. APPLICATION OF OTHER LAW. Chapter 2110,
Government Code, does not apply to the advisory committee.
SECTION 7. EXPIRATION DATE. The advisory committee is
abolished and this Act expires January 1, 2017.
SECTION 8. EFFECTIVE DATE. 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.