Bill Text: TX HB3529 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to the creation of a family violence pretrial diversion pilot program in Bexar County.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Passed) 2019-06-10 - Effective immediately [HB3529 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB3529-Enrolled.html
| H.B. No. 3529 | ||
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| relating to the creation of a family violence pretrial diversion | ||
| pilot program in Bexar County. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Chapter 509, Government Code, is amended by | ||
| adding Section 509.018 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 509.018. FAMILY VIOLENCE PRETRIAL DIVERSION PILOT | ||
| PROGRAM. (a) In this section, "family violence" has the meaning | ||
| assigned by Section 71.004, Family Code. | ||
| (b) To reduce rates of family violence recidivism, the | ||
| division shall collaborate with judges in Bexar County who have | ||
| jurisdiction over cases involving family violence to establish a | ||
| family violence pretrial diversion pilot program for individuals | ||
| who are charged with an offense involving family violence and who | ||
| suffer from a substance abuse disorder or chemical dependency. | ||
| (c) The pretrial diversion pilot program developed under | ||
| this section shall include: | ||
| (1) assessment instruments to accurately analyze the | ||
| needs of pilot program participants; | ||
| (2) a comprehensive substance abuse disorder and | ||
| chemical dependency treatment program that includes case managers, | ||
| clinicians, peer mentors, or recovery coaches; | ||
| (3) in collaboration with law enforcement agencies, a | ||
| procedure to rapidly respond to pilot program participants who fail | ||
| to comply with pilot program requirements, including, when | ||
| appropriate, immediate removal from the pilot program; and | ||
| (4) the use of a video teleconferencing system in | ||
| court to facilitate the cooperation of witnesses in the criminal | ||
| justice system and to reduce costs associated with transporting | ||
| defendants. | ||
| (d) The division shall review the pilot program established | ||
| under this section and submit a report to the governor, the | ||
| lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, | ||
| and the legislature not later than December 1 of each even-numbered | ||
| year. The report must include: | ||
| (1) a summary of the status and results of the pilot | ||
| program; | ||
| (2) an analysis of the effectiveness of the pilot | ||
| program in reducing the rate of family violence recidivism among | ||
| individuals charged with an offense involving family violence and | ||
| suffering from a substance abuse disorder or chemical dependency; | ||
| (3) sources of funding available to extend the pilot | ||
| program to other counties or for a longer period of time, including | ||
| available local, state, and federal funding sources; and | ||
| (4) any legislative or other recommendations. | ||
| (e) This section expires September 1, 2023. | ||
| SECTION 2. 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, 2019. | ||
| ______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
| President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
| I certify that H.B. No. 3529 was passed by the House on May 2, | ||
| 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 143, Nays 0, 1 present, not | ||
| voting. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
| I certify that H.B. No. 3529 was passed by the Senate on May | ||
| 21, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Secretary of the Senate | ||
| APPROVED: _____________________ | ||
| Date | ||
| _____________________ | ||
| Governor | ||
