84R6535 MK-F
 
  By: Rodríguez S.B. No. 943
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to contempt of court committed by certain juvenile
  offenders and the detention of certain juvenile offenders.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Articles 45.050(a) and (c), Code of Criminal
  Procedure, are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  In this article, "child" has the meaning assigned by
  Article 45.058(h) and "status offense" has the meaning assigned by
  Section 51.02, Family Code.
         (c)  If a child fails to obey an order of a justice or
  municipal court under circumstances that would constitute contempt
  of court, the justice or municipal court, after providing notice
  and an opportunity to be heard, may:
               (1)  refer the child to the appropriate juvenile court
  for [delinquent conduct for] contempt of the justice or municipal
  court order for:
                     (A)  delinquent conduct, as defined by Section
  51.03(a)(2), Family Code, if the order was issued in a case for an
  offense other than a status offense; or
                     (B)  conduct indicating a need for supervision, as
  defined by Section 51.03(b)(9), Family Code, if the order was
  issued in a case for a status offense; or
               (2)  retain jurisdiction of the case, hold the child in
  contempt of the justice or municipal court, and order either or both
  of the following:
                     (A)  that the contemnor pay a fine not to exceed
  $500; or
                     (B)  that the Department of Public Safety suspend
  the contemnor's driver's license or permit or, if the contemnor does
  not have a license or permit, to deny the issuance of a license or
  permit to the contemnor until the contemnor fully complies with the
  orders of the court.
         SECTION 2.  Article 45.058(f), Code of Criminal Procedure,
  is amended to read as follows:
         (f)  A child taken into custody for an offense that a justice
  or municipal court has jurisdiction of under Article 4.11 or 4.14
  may be presented or detained in a detention facility designated by
  the juvenile court under Section 52.02(a)(3), Family Code, only if:
               (1)  the child's non-traffic case is transferred to the
  juvenile court by a justice or municipal court under Section
  51.08(b), Family Code; or
               (2)  the child is referred to the juvenile court by a
  justice or municipal court for delinquent conduct [contempt of
  court] under Article 45.050(c)(1)(A).
         SECTION 3.  Section 51.02, Family Code, is amended by
  amending Subdivision (15) and adding Subdivision (15-a) to read as
  follows:
               (15)  "Status offender" means a child who is accused,
  adjudicated, or convicted of a status offense.
               (15-a)  "Status offense" means [for] conduct committed
  by a child that would not, under state law, be a crime if committed
  by an adult, including:
                     (A)  truancy under Section 51.03(b)(2);
                     (B)  running away from home under Section
  51.03(b)(3);
                     (C)  a fineable only offense under Section
  51.03(b)(1) transferred to the juvenile court under Section
  51.08(b), but only if the conduct constituting the offense would
  not have been criminal if engaged in by an adult;
                     (D)  failure to attend school under Section
  25.094, Education Code;
                     (E)  a violation of standards of student conduct
  as described by Section 51.03(b)(5);
                     (F)  a violation of a juvenile curfew ordinance or
  order;
                     (G)  a violation of a provision of the Alcoholic
  Beverage Code applicable to minors only; or
                     (H)  a violation of any other fineable only
  offense under Section 8.07(a)(4) or (5), Penal Code, but only if the
  conduct constituting the offense would not have been criminal if
  engaged in by an adult.
         SECTION 4.  Sections 51.03(a) and (b), Family Code, are
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  Delinquent conduct is:
               (1)  conduct, other than a traffic offense, that
  violates a penal law of this state or of the United States
  punishable by imprisonment or by confinement in jail;
               (2)  conduct that violates a lawful order of a court,
  other than the order of a court in a case for a status offense, under
  circumstances that would constitute contempt of that court in:
                     (A)  a justice or municipal court; or
                     (B)  a county court for conduct punishable only by
  a fine;
               (3)  conduct that violates Section 49.04, 49.05, 49.06,
  49.07, or 49.08, Penal Code; or
               (4)  conduct that violates Section 106.041, Alcoholic
  Beverage Code, relating to driving under the influence of alcohol
  by a minor (third or subsequent offense).
         (b)  Conduct indicating a need for supervision is:
               (1)  subject to Subsection (f), conduct, other than a
  traffic offense, that violates:
                     (A)  the penal laws of this state of the grade of
  misdemeanor that are punishable by fine only; or
                     (B)  the penal ordinances of any political
  subdivision of this state;
               (2)  the absence of a child on 10 or more days or parts
  of days within a six-month period in the same school year or on
  three or more days or parts of days within a four-week period from
  school;
               (3)  the voluntary absence of a child from the child's
  home without the consent of the child's parent or guardian for a
  substantial length of time or without intent to return;
               (4)  conduct prohibited by city ordinance or by state
  law involving the inhalation of the fumes or vapors of paint and
  other protective coatings or glue and other adhesives and the
  volatile chemicals itemized in Section 485.001, Health and Safety
  Code;
               (5)  an act that violates a school district's
  previously communicated written standards of student conduct for
  which the child has been expelled under Section 37.007(c),
  Education Code;
               (6)  conduct that violates a reasonable and lawful
  order of a court entered under Section 264.305;
               (7)  notwithstanding Subsection (a)(1), conduct
  described by Section 43.02(a)(1) or (2), Penal Code; [or]
               (8)  notwithstanding Subsection (a)(1), conduct that
  violates Section 43.261, Penal Code; or
               (9)  conduct that violates a lawful order of a court in
  a case for a status offense, under circumstances that would
  constitute contempt of that court in a justice, municipal, or
  county court.
         SECTION 5.  Section 51.12, Family Code, is amended by adding
  Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:
         (a-1)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this section,
  a child may only be detained in an office or place described by
  Subsection (a)(1) or (2) or a nonsecure correctional facility that
  meets the conditions of Subsections (j-1)(1), (3), and (4) if a
  child is accused only of:
               (1)  a status offense;
               (2)  the violation of a valid court order, as defined by
  Section 51.02(17); or
               (3)  conduct in need of supervision under Section
  51.03(b)(9).
         SECTION 6.  Section 52.02(a), Family Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (c), a person taking a
  child into custody, without unnecessary delay and without first
  taking the child to any place other than a juvenile processing
  office designated under Section 52.025, shall do one of the
  following:
               (1)  release the child to a parent, guardian, custodian
  of the child, or other responsible adult upon that person's promise
  to bring the child before the juvenile court as requested by the
  court;
               (2)  bring the child before the office or official
  designated by the juvenile board if there is probable cause to
  believe that the child engaged in delinquent conduct, conduct
  indicating a need for supervision, or conduct that violates a
  condition of probation imposed by the juvenile court;
               (3)  bring the child to a detention facility designated
  by the juvenile board, unless Section 51.12(a-1) applies to the
  child;
               (4)  bring the child to a secure detention facility as
  provided by Section 51.12(j), unless Section 51.12(a-1) applies to
  the child;
               (5)  bring the child to a medical facility if the child
  is believed to suffer from a serious physical condition or illness
  that requires prompt treatment;
               (6)  dispose of the case under Section 52.03; [or]
               (7)  if school is in session and the child is a student,
  bring the child to the school campus to which the child is assigned
  if the principal, the principal's designee, or a peace officer
  assigned to the campus agrees to assume responsibility for the
  child for the remainder of the school day; or
               (8)  if Section 51.12(a-1) applies to the child:
                     (A)  bring the child to a place of nonsecure
  custody in compliance with Articles 45.058(c), (d), and (e), Code
  of Criminal Procedure; or
                     (B)  if a juvenile processing office or place of
  nonsecure custody is not available, bring the child to a nonsecure
  correctional facility that meets the conditions of Sections
  51.12(j-1)(1), (3), and (4).
         SECTION 7.  Section 54.011, Family Code, is amended by
  amending Subsections (a), (b), and (c) and adding Subsection (a-1)
  to read as follows:
         (a)  The detention hearing for a [status offender or]
  nonoffender who has not been released administratively under
  Section 53.02 shall be held before the 24th hour after the time the
  child arrived at a detention facility, excluding hours of a weekend
  or a holiday.  Except as otherwise provided by this section, the
  judge or referee conducting the detention hearing shall release the
  [status offender or] nonoffender from secure detention.
         (a-1)  If Section 51.12(a-1) applies to a child, the child
  may not be detained at a place of detention for longer than 24 hours
  after the time the child arrived at the place of detention. If the
  child is not released before the sixth hour after the time the child
  arrived at the place of detention, the child is entitled to a
  detention hearing that must be held before the 24th hour after the
  time the child arrived at the place of detention, excluding
  weekends and holidays.  Except as otherwise provided by this
  section, the judge or referee conducting the detention hearing
  shall release the child from detention.
         (b)  The judge or referee may order a child in detention
  accused of the violation of a valid court order as defined by
  Section 51.02(17) [51.02] detained not longer than 24 [72] hours
  after the time the detention order was entered, excluding weekends
  and holidays, if:
               (1)  the judge or referee finds at the detention
  hearing that there is probable cause to believe the child violated
  the valid court order; and
               (2)  the detention of the child is justified under
  Section 54.01(e)(1), (2), or (3).
         (c)  Except as provided by Subsection (d), a detention order
  entered under Subsection (b) may be extended for one additional
  24-hour [72-hour] period, excluding weekends and holidays, only on
  a finding of good cause by the juvenile court.
         SECTION 8.  Section 54.04(o), Family Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (o)  In a disposition under this title,[:
               [(1)]  a child [status offender] may not, under any
  circumstances, be placed in a post-adjudication secure
  correctional facility or committed to the Texas Juvenile Justice
  Department only [Youth Commission] for:
               (1)  engaging in conduct that is a status offense 
  [would not, under state or local law, be a crime if committed by an
  adult];
               (2)  violating a valid court order [a status offender
  may not, under any circumstances other than as provided under
  Subsection (n), be placed in a post-adjudication secure
  correctional facility]; or [and]
               (3)  conduct indicating a need for supervision under
  Section 51.03(b)(9) [a child adjudicated for contempt of a county,
  justice, or municipal court order may not, under any circumstances,
  be placed in a post-adjudication secure correctional facility or
  committed to the Texas Youth Commission for that conduct].
         SECTION 9.  Section 59.003(a), Family Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  Subject to Subsection (e), after a child's first
  commission of delinquent conduct or conduct indicating a need for
  supervision, the probation department or prosecuting attorney may,
  or the juvenile court may, in a disposition hearing under Section
  54.04 or a modification hearing under Section 54.05, assign a child
  one of the following sanction levels according to the child's
  conduct:
               (1)  for conduct indicating a need for supervision,
  other than conduct described in Section 51.03(b)(4), [or] (5), or
  (9) or a Class A or B misdemeanor, the sanction level is one;
               (2)  for conduct indicating a need for supervision
  under Section 51.03(b)(4), [or] (5), or (9) or a Class A or B
  misdemeanor, other than a misdemeanor involving the use or
  possession of a firearm, or for delinquent conduct under Section
  51.03(a)(2), the sanction level is two;
               (3)  for a misdemeanor involving the use or possession
  of a firearm or for a state jail felony or a felony of the third
  degree, the sanction level is three;
               (4)  for a felony of the second degree, the sanction
  level is four;
               (5)  for a felony of the first degree, other than a
  felony involving the use of a deadly weapon or causing serious
  bodily injury, the sanction level is five;
               (6)  for a felony of the first degree involving the use
  of a deadly weapon or causing serious bodily injury, for an
  aggravated controlled substance felony, or for a capital felony,
  the sanction level is six; or
               (7)  for a felony of the first degree involving the use
  of a deadly weapon or causing serious bodily injury, for an
  aggravated controlled substance felony, or for a capital felony, if
  the petition has been approved by a grand jury under Section 53.045,
  or if a petition to transfer the child to criminal court has been
  filed under Section 54.02, the sanction level is seven.
         SECTION 10.  Section 71.0352, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 71.0352.  JUVENILE DATE:  JUSTICE, MUNICIPAL, AND
  JUVENILE COURTS.  As a component of the official monthly report
  submitted to the Office of Court Administration of the Texas
  Judicial System:
               (1)  justice and municipal courts shall report the
  number of cases filed for the following offenses:
                     (A)  failure to attend school under Section
  25.094, Education Code;
                     (B)  parent contributing to nonattendance under
  Section 25.093, Education Code; and
                     (C)  violation of a local daytime curfew ordinance
  adopted under Section 341.905 or 351.903, Local Government Code;
  and
               (2)  in cases in which a child fails to obey an order of
  a justice or municipal court under circumstances that would
  constitute contempt of court, the justice or municipal court shall
  report the number of incidents in which the child is:
                     (A)  referred to the appropriate juvenile court
  for delinquent conduct or conduct indicating a need for supervision 
  as provided by Article 45.050(c)(1), Code of Criminal Procedure,
  and Section 51.03(a)(2) or (b)(9), Family Code; or
                     (B)  held in contempt, fined, or denied driving
  privileges as provided by Article 45.050(c)(2), Code of Criminal
  Procedure.
         SECTION 11.  Section 54.04(n), Family Code, is repealed.
         SECTION 12.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only
  to conduct violating a penal law that occurs on or after the
  effective date of this Act. Conduct violating a penal law that
  occurs before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law
  in effect when the conduct occurred, and the former law is continued
  in effect for that purpose.  For purposes of this section, conduct
  violating a penal law occurred before the effective date of this Act
  if any element of the violation occurred before that date.
         SECTION 13.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.