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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the prosecution of children accused of certain Class C |
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misdemeanors. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subsections (a) and (c), Article 45.056, Code of |
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Criminal Procedure, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) On approval of the commissioners court, city council, |
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school district board of trustees, juvenile board, or other |
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appropriate authority, a county court, justice court, municipal |
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court, school district, juvenile probation department, or other |
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appropriate governmental entity may: |
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(1) employ a case manager to provide services in cases |
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involving juvenile offenders who are before a court consistent with |
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the court's statutory powers or referred to a court by a school |
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administrator or designee for misconduct that would otherwise be |
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within the court's statutory powers prior to a case being filed, |
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with the consent of the juvenile and the juvenile's parents or |
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guardians; or |
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(2) agree in accordance with Chapter 791, Government |
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Code, to jointly employ a case manager. |
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(c) A county or justice court on approval of the |
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commissioners court or a municipality or municipal court on |
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approval of the city council may employ one or more juvenile case |
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managers who: |
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(1) shall [to] assist the court in administering the |
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court's juvenile docket and in supervising its court orders in |
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juvenile cases; and |
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(2) may provide: |
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(A) prevention services to a child considered |
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at-risk of entering the juvenile justice system; and |
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(B) intervention services to juveniles engaged |
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in misconduct prior to cases being filed, excluding traffic |
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offenses. |
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SECTION 2. Section 25.0915, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: |
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(c) A court shall dismiss a complaint or referral made by a |
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school district under this section that is not made in compliance |
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with Subsection (b). |
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SECTION 3. Subsection (b), Section 37.081, Education Code, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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(b) In a peace officer's jurisdiction, a peace officer |
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commissioned under this section: |
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(1) has the powers, privileges, and immunities of |
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peace officers; |
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(2) may enforce all laws, including municipal |
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ordinances, county ordinances, and state laws; [and] |
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(3) may, in accordance with Chapter 52, Family Code, |
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take a juvenile into custody; and |
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(4) may dispose of cases in accordance with Section |
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52.03 or 52.031, Family Code. |
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SECTION 4. Chapter 37, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter E-1 to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER E-1. CRIMINAL PROCEDURE |
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Sec. 37.141. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Child" has the meaning assigned by Article |
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45.058(h), Code of Criminal Procedure, except that the person must |
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also be a student. |
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(2) "School offense" means an offense committed by a |
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child enrolled in a public school that is a Class C misdemeanor |
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other than a traffic offense, that is committed on property under |
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the control and jurisdiction of a school district. |
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Sec. 37.142. CONFLICT OF LAW. To the extent of any |
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conflict, this subchapter controls over any other law applied to a |
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school offense alleged to have been committed by a child. |
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Sec. 37.143. CITATION PROHIBITED; CUSTODY OF CHILD. (a) A |
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peace officer may not issue a citation to a child who is alleged to |
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have committed a school offense. |
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(b) This subchapter does not prohibit a child from being |
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taken into custody under Section 52.01, Family Code. |
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Sec. 37.144. GRADUATED SANCTIONS FOR CERTAIN SCHOOL |
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OFFENSES. (a) A school district that commissions peace officers |
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under Section 37.081 shall develop a system of graduated sanctions |
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that must be imposed on a child before a complaint is filed under |
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Section 37.145 against the child for a school offense that is an |
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offense under Section 37.124 or 37.126 or under Section 42.01, |
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Penal Code. A system adopted under this section must include |
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multiple graduated sanctions. The system must require: |
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(1) a warning letter to be issued to the child and the |
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child's parent or guardian that specifically states the child's |
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alleged school offense and explains the consequences if the child |
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engages in additional misconduct; |
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(2) a behavior contract with the child that must be |
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signed by the child, the child's parent or guardian, and an employee |
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of the school and that includes a specific description of the |
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behavior that is required or prohibited for the child and the |
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penalties for additional alleged school offenses, including |
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additional disciplinary action or the filing of a complaint in a |
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criminal court; |
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(3) the performance of school-based community service |
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by the child; and |
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(4) the referral of the child to counseling, |
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community-based services, or other in-school or out-of-school |
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services aimed at addressing the child's behavioral problems. |
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(b) A referral made under Subsection (a)(4) may include |
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participation by the child's parent or guardian if necessary. |
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Sec. 37.145. COMPLAINT. If a child fails to comply with or |
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complete graduated sanctions under Section 37.144, the school may |
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file a complaint against the child with a criminal court in |
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accordance with Section 37.146. |
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Sec. 37.146. REQUISITES OF COMPLAINT. (a) A complaint |
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alleging the commission of a school offense must, in addition to the |
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requirements imposed by Article 45.019, Code of Criminal Procedure: |
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(1) be sworn to by a person who has personal knowledge |
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of the underlying facts giving rise to probable cause to believe |
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that an offense has been committed; and |
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(2) be accompanied by a statement from a school |
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employee stating: |
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(A) whether the child is eligible for or receives |
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special services under Subchapter A, Chapter 29; and |
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(B) the graduated sanctions, if required under |
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Section 37.144, that were imposed on the child before the complaint |
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was filed. |
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(b) After a complaint has been filed under this subchapter, |
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a summons may be issued under Articles 23.04 and 45.057(e), Code of |
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Criminal Procedure. |
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Sec. 37.147. PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS. An attorney |
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representing the state in a court with jurisdiction may adopt rules |
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pertaining to the filing of a complaint under this subchapter that |
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the state considers necessary in order to: |
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(1) determine whether there is probable cause to |
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believe that the child committed the alleged offense; |
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(2) review the circumstances and allegations in the |
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complaint for legal sufficiency; and |
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(3) see that justice is done. |
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SECTION 5. The heading to Chapter 52, Family Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 52. PROCEEDINGS BEFORE AND INCLUDING REFERRAL TO |
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[JUVENILE] COURT |
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SECTION 6. Subsection (a), Section 52.03, Family Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) A law-enforcement officer authorized by this title to |
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take a child into custody may dispose of the case of a child taken |
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into custody or accused of a Class C misdemeanor, other than a |
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traffic offense, without referral to juvenile court or charging a |
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child in a court of competent criminal jurisdiction, if: |
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(1) guidelines for such disposition have been adopted |
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by the juvenile board of the county in which the disposition is made |
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as required by Section 52.032; |
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(2) the disposition is authorized by the guidelines; |
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and |
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(3) the officer makes a written report of the officer's |
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disposition to the law-enforcement agency, identifying the child |
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and specifying the grounds for believing that the taking into |
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custody or accusation of criminal conduct was authorized. |
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SECTION 7. Subsections (a), (d), (f), (i), and (j), Section |
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52.031, Family Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) A juvenile board may establish a first offender program |
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under this section for the referral and disposition of children |
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taken into custody, or accused prior to the filing of a criminal |
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charge, of [for]: |
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(1) conduct indicating a need for supervision; [or] |
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(2) a Class C misdemeanor, other than a traffic |
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offense; or |
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(3) delinquent conduct other than conduct that |
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constitutes: |
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(A) a felony of the first, second, or third |
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degree, an aggravated controlled substance felony, or a capital |
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felony; or |
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(B) a state jail felony or misdemeanor involving |
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violence to a person or the use or possession of a firearm, illegal |
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knife, or club, as those terms are defined by Section 46.01, Penal |
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Code, or a prohibited weapon, as described by Section 46.05, Penal |
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Code. |
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(d) A law enforcement officer taking a child into custody or |
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accusing a child of an offense described in Subsection (a)(2) may |
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refer the child to the law enforcement officer or agency designated |
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under Subsection (b) for disposition under the first offender |
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program and not refer the child to juvenile court or a court of |
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competent criminal jurisdiction only if: |
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(1) the child has not previously been adjudicated as |
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having engaged in delinquent conduct; |
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(2) the referral complies with guidelines for |
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disposition under Subsection (c); and |
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(3) the officer reports in writing the referral to the |
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agency, identifying the child and specifying the grounds for taking |
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the child into custody or accusing the child of an offense described |
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in Subsection (a)(2). |
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(f) The parent, guardian, or other custodian of the child |
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must receive notice that the child has been referred for |
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disposition under the first offender program. The notice must: |
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(1) state the grounds for taking the child into |
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custody or accusing the child of an offense described in Subsection |
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(a)(2); |
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(2) identify the law enforcement officer or agency to |
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which the child was referred; |
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(3) briefly describe the nature of the program; and |
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(4) state that the child's failure to complete the |
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program will result in the child being referred to the juvenile |
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court or a court of competent criminal jurisdiction. |
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(i) The case of a child who successfully completes the first |
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offender program is closed and may not be referred to juvenile court |
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or a court of competent criminal jurisdiction, unless the child is |
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taken into custody under circumstances described by Subsection |
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(j)(3). |
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(j) The case of a child referred for disposition under the |
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first offender program shall be referred to juvenile court or a |
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court of competent criminal jurisdiction if: |
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(1) the child fails to complete the program; |
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(2) the child or the parent, guardian, or other |
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custodian of the child terminates the child's participation in the |
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program before the child completes it; or |
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(3) the child completes the program but is taken into |
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custody under Section 52.01 before the 90th day after the date the |
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child completes the program for conduct other than the conduct for |
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which the child was referred to the first offender program. |
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SECTION 8. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. An |
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offense committed before the effective date of this Act is covered |
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by the law in effect at the time the offense was committed, and the |
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former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For the |
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purposes of this section, an offense is committed before the |
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effective date of this Act if any element of the offense was |
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committed before that date. |
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SECTION 9. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |
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