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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the administration and operation of the Texas Juvenile |
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Justice Department. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 411.1141, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 411.1141. ACCESS TO CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD |
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INFORMATION: TEXAS JUVENILE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT [YOUTH
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COMMISSION]. (a) The Texas Juvenile Justice Department is |
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entitled to obtain from the department criminal history record |
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information maintained by the department that relates to: |
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(1) a person described by Section 242.010(b), Human |
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Resources Code; |
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(2) an applicant for a certification from the Texas |
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Juvenile Justice Department; |
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(3) a holder of a certification from the Texas |
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Juvenile Justice Department; |
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(4) a child committed to the custody of the Texas |
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Juvenile Justice Department by a juvenile court; |
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(5) a person requesting visitation access to a |
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facility of the Texas Juvenile Justice Department; or |
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(6) any person, as necessary to conduct an evaluation |
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of the home under Section 245.051(a), Human Resources Code. |
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(b) Criminal history record information obtained by the |
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Texas Juvenile Justice Department [Youth Commission] under |
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Subsection (a) may not be released to any person except: |
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(1) on court order; |
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(2) with the consent of the entity or person who is the |
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subject of the criminal history record information; |
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(3) for purposes of an administrative hearing held, or |
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an investigation conducted, by the Texas Juvenile Justice |
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Department [Youth Commission] concerning the person who is the |
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subject of the criminal history record information; [or] |
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(4) a juvenile board by which a certification |
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applicant or holder is employed; or |
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(5) as provided by Subsection (c) or (f). |
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(c) The Texas Juvenile Justice Department [Youth
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Commission] is not prohibited from releasing criminal history |
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record information obtained under Subsection (a) to: |
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(1) the person who is the subject of the criminal |
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history record information; or |
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(2) a business entity or person described by |
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Subsection (a)(1) [(a)(4) or (a)(5)] who uses or intends to use the |
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services of the volunteer or intern or employs or is considering |
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employing the person who is the subject of the criminal history |
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record information. |
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(d) The Texas Juvenile Justice Department [Youth
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Commission] may charge an entity or a person who requests criminal |
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history record information under Subsection (c)(2) [(a)(4) or
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(a)(5)] a fee in an amount necessary to cover the costs of obtaining |
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the information on the person's or entity's behalf. |
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(e) After a person is certified by the Texas Juvenile |
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Justice Department, the Texas Juvenile Justice Department shall |
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destroy the criminal history record information that relates to a |
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person described by Subsection (a)(2). |
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(f) The Texas Juvenile Justice Department is not prohibited |
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from disclosing criminal history record information obtained under |
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Subsection (a) in a criminal proceeding or in a hearing conducted by |
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the Texas Juvenile Justice Department. |
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SECTION 2. Section 552.117(a), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) Information is excepted from the requirements of |
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Section 552.021 if it is information that relates to the home |
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address, home telephone number, emergency contact information, or |
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social security number of the following person or that reveals |
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whether the person has family members: |
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(1) a current or former official or employee of a |
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governmental body, except as otherwise provided by Section 552.024; |
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(2) a peace officer as defined by Article 2.12, Code of |
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Criminal Procedure, or a security officer commissioned under |
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Section 51.212, Education Code, regardless of whether the officer |
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complies with Section 552.024 or 552.1175, as applicable; |
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(3) a current or former employee of the Texas |
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Department of Criminal Justice or of the predecessor in function of |
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the department or any division of the department, regardless of |
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whether the current or former employee complies with Section |
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552.1175; |
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(4) a peace officer as defined by Article 2.12, Code of |
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Criminal Procedure, or other law, a reserve law enforcement |
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officer, a commissioned deputy game warden, or a corrections |
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officer in a municipal, county, or state penal institution in this |
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state who was killed in the line of duty, regardless of whether the |
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deceased complied with Section 552.024 or 552.1175; |
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(5) a commissioned security officer as defined by |
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Section 1702.002, Occupations Code, regardless of whether the |
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officer complies with Section 552.024 or 552.1175, as applicable; |
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(6) an officer or employee of a community supervision |
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and corrections department established under Chapter 76 who |
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performs a duty described by Section 76.004(b), regardless of |
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whether the officer or employee complies with Section 552.024 or |
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552.1175; [or] |
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(7) a current or former employee of the office of the |
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attorney general who is or was assigned to a division of that office |
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the duties of which involve law enforcement, regardless of whether |
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the current or former employee complies with Section 552.024 or |
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552.1175; |
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(8) a current or former employee of the Texas Juvenile |
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Justice Department or of the predecessors in function of the |
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department, regardless of whether the current or former employee |
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complies with Section 552.1175; |
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(9) a juvenile probation or supervision officer |
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certified by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, or the |
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predecessors in function of the department, under Title 12, Human |
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Resources Code; or |
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(10) employees of a juvenile justice program or |
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facility, as those terms are defined by Section 261.405, Family |
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Code. |
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SECTION 3. The heading to Section 552.1175, Government |
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Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 552.1175. CONFIDENTIALITY OF CERTAIN PERSONAL |
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[ADDRESSES, TELEPHONE NUMBERS, SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS, AND
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PERSONAL FAMILY] INFORMATION OF PEACE OFFICERS, COUNTY JAILERS, |
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SECURITY OFFICERS, AND EMPLOYEES OF CERTAIN [THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT
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OF] CRIMINAL OR JUVENILE JUSTICE AGENCIES OR OFFICES [A
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PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE]. |
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SECTION 4. Section 552.1175(a), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) This section applies only to: |
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(1) peace officers as defined by Article 2.12, Code of |
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Criminal Procedure; |
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(2) county jailers as defined by Section 1701.001, |
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Occupations Code; |
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(3) current or former employees of the Texas |
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Department of Criminal Justice or of the predecessor in function of |
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the department or any division of the department; |
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(4) commissioned security officers as defined by |
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Section 1702.002, Occupations Code; |
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(5) employees of a district attorney, criminal |
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district attorney, or county or municipal attorney whose |
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jurisdiction includes any criminal law or child protective services |
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matters; |
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(6) officers and employees of a community supervision |
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and corrections department established under Chapter 76 who perform |
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a duty described by Section 76.004(b); |
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(7) criminal investigators of the United States as |
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described by Article 2.122(a), Code of Criminal Procedure; |
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(8) police officers and inspectors of the United |
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States Federal Protective Service; [and] |
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(9) current and former employees of the office of the |
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attorney general who are or were assigned to a division of that |
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office the duties of which involve law enforcement; |
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(10) juvenile probation and supervision officers |
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certified by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, or the |
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predecessors in function of the department, under Title 12, Human |
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Resources Code; |
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(11) employees of a juvenile justice program or |
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facility, as those terms are defined by Section 261.405, Family |
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Code; and |
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(12) current or former employees of the Texas Juvenile |
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Justice Department or the predecessors in function of the |
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department. |
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SECTION 5. Section 203.001, Human Resources Code, is |
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amended by adding Subsection (d) to read as follows: |
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(d) The board may delegate to the executive director or to |
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any other employee any authority given to the board under this |
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chapter except the authority to adopt rules. |
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SECTION 6. Section 203.0081(a), Human Resources Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The advisory council on juvenile services consists of: |
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(1) the executive director of the department or the |
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executive director's designee; |
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(2) the director of probation services of the |
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department or the director's designee; |
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(3) the director of state programs and facilities of |
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the department or the director's designee; |
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(4) the executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
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Services Commission or the commissioner's designee; |
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(5) [(4)] one representative of the county |
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commissioners courts appointed by the board; |
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(6) [(5)] two juvenile court judges appointed by the |
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board; and |
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(7) [(6)] seven chief juvenile probation officers |
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appointed by the board as provided by Subsection (b). |
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SECTION 7. Section 222.002, Human Resources Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 222.002. MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR SUPERVISION |
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[DETENTION] OFFICERS. To be eligible for appointment as a |
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supervision [detention] officer, a person who was not employed as |
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an [a detention] officer before September 1, 2005, must: |
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(1) be of good moral character; |
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(2) be at least 21 years of age; |
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(3) have acquired a high school diploma or its |
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equivalent; |
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(4) have satisfactorily completed the course of |
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preservice training or instruction required by the department; |
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(5) have passed the tests or examinations required by |
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the department; and |
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(6) possess the level of certification required by the |
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department. |
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SECTION 8. Section 222.003(b), Human Resources Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(b) The certification standards adopted under Subsection |
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(a) must be substantially similar to the certification requirements |
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for supervision [detention] officers under Section 222.002. |
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SECTION 9. The heading to Section 222.004, Human Resources |
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Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 222.004. PERSONS WHO MAY NOT ACT AS CHIEF |
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ADMINISTRATIVE, JUVENILE PROBATION, OR SUPERVISION [DETENTION] |
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OFFICERS. |
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SECTION 10. Section 222.004(a), Human Resources Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) A peace officer, prosecuting attorney, or other person |
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who is employed by or who reports directly to a law enforcement or |
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prosecution official may not act as a chief administrative, |
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juvenile probation, or supervision [detention] officer or be made |
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responsible for supervising a juvenile on probation. |
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SECTION 11. Section 222.005(a), Human Resources Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) A juvenile probation, supervision [detention], or |
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corrections officer may not carry a firearm in the course of the |
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person's official duties. |
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SECTION 12. Sections 242.002(b) and (d), Human Resources |
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Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(b) On or before December 31 of each even-numbered year, the |
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department shall make a report on the effectiveness of the programs |
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to the Legislative Budget Board. |
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(d) If the department is unable to offer or make available |
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programs described by Subsection (a) in the manner provided by |
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Subsection (c), the department shall, not later than December 31 |
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[January 10] of each even-numbered [odd-numbered] year, provide the |
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standing committees of the senate and house of representatives with |
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primary jurisdiction over matters concerning correctional |
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facilities with a report explaining: |
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(1) which programs are not offered or are unavailable; |
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and |
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(2) the reason the programs are not offered or are |
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unavailable. |
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SECTION 13. Section 242.010, Human Resources Code, is |
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amended by amending Subsections (b), (c), and (d) and adding |
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Subsection (b-1) to read as follows: |
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(b) The department [executive director] shall review the |
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national criminal history record information, state criminal |
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history record information maintained by the Department of Public |
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Safety, and previous and current employment references of each |
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person who: |
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(1) is an employee, [contractor,] volunteer, |
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ombudsman, or advocate working for the department or working in a |
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department facility or a facility under contract with the |
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department; |
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(2) is a contractor or an employee or subcontractor of |
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a contractor who has direct access to children in department |
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facilities; |
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(3) provides direct delivery of services to children |
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in the custody of the department; or |
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(4) [(3)] has access to records in department |
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facilities or offices. |
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(b-1) The department may review criminal history record |
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information of: |
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(1) a person requesting visitation access to a |
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department facility; or |
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(2) any person, as necessary to conduct an evaluation |
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of the home under Section 245.051(a). |
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(c) To enable the department [executive director] to |
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conduct the review, the board shall adopt rules requiring a person |
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described by Subsection (b) to electronically provide the |
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Department of Public Safety with a complete set of the person's |
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fingerprints in a form and of a quality acceptable to the Department |
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of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. |
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(d) For each person described by Subsection (b), the |
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department [executive director] shall review on an annual basis the |
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person's national criminal history record information. |
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SECTION 14. Section 245.0535(i), Human Resources Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(i) Not later than December 31 [1] of each even-numbered |
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year, the department shall deliver a report of the results of |
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research conducted or coordinated under Subsection (h) to the |
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lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, |
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and the standing committees of each house of the legislature with |
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primary jurisdiction over juvenile justice and corrections. |
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SECTION 15. Section 411.137, Government Code, is repealed. |
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SECTION 16. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |