85R19219 JSC-D
	By: Lucio III	H.B. No. 2911
	Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2911:
	By:  Moody	C.S.H.B. No. 2911

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to a reemployment program as a condition of community
	supervision for certain veterans who commit a misdemeanor offense.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Chapter 42A, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
	amended by adding Subchapter H-1 to read as follows:
	SUBCHAPTER H-1. VETERANS REEMPLOYMENT PROGRAM
	Art. 42A.381.  VETERANS REEMPLOYMENT PROGRAM. In this
	subchapter "veterans reemployment program" means a program that
	provides education and training to veterans with the goal that the
	veterans become gainfully employed.
	Art. 42A.382.  ELIGIBILITY. (a)  A defendant placed on
	deferred adjudication community supervision for or convicted of a
	misdemeanor offense is eligible to participate in a veterans
	reemployment program established under this subchapter if the
	defendant is a veteran of the United States armed forces, including
	a member of the reserves, national guard, or state guard.
	(b)  The judge granting community supervision to a defendant
	described by Subsection (a) shall inform the defendant of the
	defendant's eligibility for the program but may not require the
	defendant to participate in the program.
	(c)  A judge may additionally impose any condition of
	community supervision that the judge is authorized to impose under
	this chapter on a defendant who chooses to participate in the
	program under this subchapter.
	Art. 42A.383.  EDUCATION AND TRAINING COURSES. (a) A
	participant in the program shall diligently attend workforce
	development education and training courses developed or approved by
	the Texas Workforce Commission under Chapter 316, Labor Code, as
	directed by the court.
	(b)  The education and training courses under this article
	must focus on providing a participant with useful workplace skills
	most likely to lead to gainful employment by the participant.
	(c)  The education and training courses may be
	individualized based on any physical or intellectual limitations of
	the participant.
	Art. 42A.384.  COMPLETION OF PROGRAM. A participant
	successfully completes the veterans reemployment program if the
	participant completes the education and training courses required
	by the court and:
	(1)  obtains employment and retains that employment for
	three continuous months;
	(2)  diligently searches for employment for a
	continuous period of six months; or
	(3)  is determined by the court to be unemployable
	because of a disability.
	Art. 42A.385.  FAILURE TO COMPLETE PROGRAM. (a) The judge
	may not revoke the community supervision of a defendant who fails to
	complete the program under this subchapter.
	(b)  If the defendant fails to complete the program under
	this subchapter, the judge may:
	(1)  modify the defendant's conditions of community
	supervision; and
	(2)  extend the period of community supervision so that
	the defendant may comply with the conditions under Subdivision (1).
	SECTION 2.  Subchapter E-1, Chapter 411, Government Code, is
	amended by adding Section 411.0729 to read as follows:
	Sec. 411.0729.  PROCEDURE FOR CERTAIN VETERANS. On
	successful completion of the veterans reemployment program created
	under Subchapter H-1, Chapter 42A, Code of Criminal Procedure, and
	all other conditions of the defendant's community supervision,
	regardless of whether the defendant meets the eligibility criteria
	under this subchapter, after notice to the state and a hearing on
	whether issuance of an order of nondisclosure is in the best
	interest of justice, the court shall enter an order of
	nondisclosure with respect to all records of the offense for which
	the defendant was convicted or placed on deferred adjudication
	community supervision.
	SECTION 3.  Subtitle B, Title 4, Labor Code, is amended by
	adding Chapter 316 to read as follows:
	CHAPTER 316. VETERANS REEMPLOYMENT EDUCATION AND TRAINING COURSES
	Sec. 316.001.  VETERANS REEMPLOYMENT PROGRAM. In this
	chapter "veterans reemployment program" means the community
	supervision program created under Subchapter H-1, Chapter 42A, Code
	of Criminal Procedure.
	Sec. 316.002.  EDUCATION AND TRAINING COURSES. (a) The
	commission shall develop or approve education and training courses
	to assist veterans convicted of or placed on deferred adjudication
	community supervision for a misdemeanor offense under Subchapter
	H-1, Chapter 42A, Code of Criminal Procedure, in obtaining
	workforce skills and becoming gainfully employed.
	(b)  The education and training courses must provide
	instruction in workforce skills appropriate for veterans with
	disabilities.
	SECTION 4.  Not later than January 1, 2018, the Texas
	Workforce Commission shall develop or approve education and
	training courses as required under Chapter 316, Labor Code, as
	added by this Act.
	SECTION 5.  Subchapter H-1, Chapter 42A, Code of Criminal
	Procedure, applies only to a person placed on community
	supervision, including deferred adjudication community
	supervision, on or after January 1, 2018.
	SECTION 6.  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, 2017.