By: Whitmire S.B. No. 1630
 
 
 
   
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  Relating to keeping children adjudicated as delinquent closer to
  home, funding for juvenile probation departments, powers of the
  independent ombudsman, and indeterminate commitment of children
  adjudicated as delinquent.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 203, Human Resource Code, is amended by
  adding Sections 203.017 and 203.018 to read as follows:
         Sec. 203.017.  REGIONALIZATION. (a) The department shall
  develop and the board shall adopt a regionalization plan for
  keeping youth closer to home in lieu of commitment to the secure
  facilities operated by the department under Subtitle C. The plan
  shall define regions of the state to be served by facilities
  operated by juvenile probation departments, counties, or private
  operators, after consultation with juvenile probation departments
  to identify post-adjudication facility capacity that can be
  dedicated to support the regionalization plan. The department shall
  ensure that regions have defined, appropriate, evidence-based
  programs for the target populations defined by the plan.
  (b)  The regionalization plan shall include a budget review
  redirection of staff and funding to align to the plan by creating a
  new division responsible for administering regionalization and
  monitoring program quality and accountability. The new division
  shall:
         (1)  approve plans and related protocols to administer
  regional model; (2) provide training on best practices for all
  local probation departments affected by the plan;
         (3)  assist in research-based program development;
         (4)  monitor contract and program measures for new regional
  mode;
         (5)  analyze department data to provide clear guidance to
  local probation departments on outcome measures; and
         (6)  report on performance of specific programs and
  placements to assist in implementing best practices and maximize
  the impact of state funds.
  (c)  Regions shall be eligible for funding to support
  evidence-based, intensive in-home services, according to
  performance standards established by the department and adopted in
  contracts for placement and services.
         Sec. 203.018.  SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS AND SPECIAL PROJECTS.
  (a) The department shall develop specialized programs for
  determinate-sentenced children and special commitment children
  committed under Section 54.04012, Family Code. The programs shall
  ensure safety and security for committed children and provide
  developmentally appropriate program strategies.
  (b)  The department shall establish performance based goals
  related to improved outcomes, which shall include recidivism
  measures and may include other well-being outcome measures.
  (c)  The department shall utilize case review strategies to
  identify children presently in department facilities who can safely
  and appropriately be transferred to alternative local placements,
  halfway houses or parole.
  (d)  The department shall study and report to the board on the
  potential for repurposing existing secure facilities for
  determinate sentenced children, special commitment children under
  Section 54.04012, Family Code, or other purposes.
         SECTION 2.  Section 223.001, Human Services Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         Sec. 223.001.  DETERMINATION OF AMOUNT OF STATE AID. (a)
  The department shall annually allocate funds for financial
  assistance to juvenile boards to provide juvenile services
  according to current estimates of the number of juveniles in each
  county, a basic probation funding formula for departments that
  clearly defines what basic probation entails and what services are
  provided, and other factors the department determines are
  appropriate.
  (b)  The legislature may appropriate the amount of state aid
  necessary to supplement local funds to maintain and improve
  statewide juvenile services that comply with department standards
  and to initiate the regionalization plan under Section 203.017
  until savings are generated by decreases in the population of
  department facilities operated under Subtitle C.
  (c)  The department shall may set aside a portion of the funds
  appropriated to the department for discretionary state aid to fund
  programs designed to address special needs or projects of local
  juvenile boards, including projects dedicated to specific target
  populations based on risk and needs, and with established
  recidivism reduction goals. The department shall develop
  discretionary grant funding protocols based on documented,
  data-driven and research-based practices.
  (d)  The department shall reimburse counties for placement of youth
  in the regional specialized program at a rate that offers a savings
  to the state in relation to the average cost per day in a department
  facility operated under Subtitle C.
         SECTION 3.  Section 261.101, Human Resources Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
  Sec. 261.101.  DUTIES AND POWERS. (a) The independent ombudsman
  shall:
  (1)  review the procedures established by the board and evaluate
  the delivery of services to children to ensure that the rights of
  children are fully observed;
  (2)  review complaints filed with the independent ombudsman
  concerning the actions of the department and investigate each
  complaint in which it appears that a child may be in need of
  assistance from the independent ombudsman;
  (3)  conduct investigations of complaints, other than complaints
  alleging criminal behavior, if the office determines that:
  (A)  a child committed to the department or the child's family may
  be in need of assistance from the office; or
  (B)  a systemic issue in the department's provision of services is
  raised by a complaint;
  (4)  review or inspect periodically the facilities and procedures
  of any institution or residence in which a child has been placed by
  the department, whether public or private, to ensure that the
  rights of children are fully observed;
  (5)  provide assistance to a child or family who the independent
  ombudsman determines is in need of assistance, including advocating
  with an agency, provider, or other person in the best interests of
  the child;
  (6)  review court orders as necessary to fulfill its duties;
  (7)  recommend changes in any procedure relating to the treatment
  of children committed to the department;
  (8)  make appropriate referrals under any of the duties and powers
  listed in this subsection;
  (9)  supervise assistants who are serving as advocates in their
  representation of children committed to the department in internal
  administrative and disciplinary hearings;
  (10)  review reports received by the department relating to
  complaints regarding juvenile probation programs, services, or
  facilities and analyze the data contained in the reports to
  identify trends in complaints; and
  (11)  report a possible standards violation by a local juvenile
  probation department to the appropriate division of the department.
  (b)  The independent ombudsman may apprise persons who are
  interested in a child's welfare of the rights of the child.
  (c)  To assess if a child's rights have been violated, the
  independent ombudsman may, in any matter that does not involve
  alleged criminal behavior, contact or consult with an
  administrator, employee, child, parent, expert, or any other
  individual in the course of its investigation or to secure
  information.
  (d)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the
  independent ombudsman may not investigate alleged criminal
  behavior.
  (e)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the
  powers of the office are limited to facilities operated and
  services provided by the department under Subtitle C, and
  post-adjudication correctional facilities under Section 51.125,
  Family Code.
 
         SECTION 4.  Section 54.04, Family Code, is amended by
  amending subsection (d) to read as follows:
  (d)  If the court or jury makes the finding specified in Subsection
  (c) allowing the court to make a disposition in the case:
  (1)  the court or jury may, in addition to any order required or
  authorized under Section 54.041 or 54.042, place the child on
  probation on such reasonable and lawful terms as the court may
  determine:
  (A)  in the child's own home or in the custody of a relative or
  other fit person; or
  (B)  subject to the finding under Subsection (c) on the placement
  of the child outside the child's home, in:
  (i)  a suitable foster home;
  (ii)  a suitable public or private residential treatment facility
  licensed by a state governmental entity or exempted from licensure
  by state law, except a facility operated by the Texas Juvenile
  Justice Department; or
  (iii)  a suitable public or private post-adjudication secure
  correctional facility that meets the requirements of Section
  51.125, except a facility operated by the Texas Juvenile Justice
  Department;
  (2)  if the court or jury found at the conclusion of the
  adjudication hearing that the child engaged in delinquent conduct
  that violates a penal law of this state or the United States of the
  grade of felony, if a special commitment finding is made under
  Section 54.04012, and if the petition was not approved by the grand
  jury under Section 53.045, the court may commit the child to the
  Texas Juvenile Justice Department under Section 54.04012 or a
  post-adjudication secure correctional facility under Section
  54.04011(c)(1) without a determinate sentence;
  (3)  if the court or jury found at the conclusion of the
  adjudication hearing that the child engaged in delinquent conduct
  that included a violation of a penal law listed in Section 53.045(a)
  and if the petition was approved by the grand jury under Section
  53.045, the court or jury may sentence the child to commitment in
  the Texas Juvenile Justice Department or a post-adjudication secure
  correctional facility under Section 54.04011(c)(2) with a possible
  transfer to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for a term of:
  (A)  not more than 40 years if the conduct constitutes:
  (i)  a capital felony;
  (ii)  a felony of the first degree; or
  (iii)  an aggravated controlled substance felony;
  (B)  not more than 20 years if the conduct constitutes a felony of
  the second degree; or
  (C)  not more than 10 years if the conduct constitutes a felony of
  the third degree;
  (4)  the court may assign the child an appropriate sanction level
  and sanctions as provided by the assignment guidelines in Section
  59.003;
  (5)  the court may place the child in a suitable nonsecure
  correctional facility that is registered and meets the applicable
  standards for the facility as provided by Section 51.126; or
  (6)  if applicable, the court or jury may make a disposition under
  Subsection (m) or Section 54.04011(c)(2)(A).
         SECTION 5.  Chapter 54, Family Code, is amended by adding
  Section 54.04012 to read as follows:
  Sec. 54.04012.  Special Commitment to Texas Juvenile Justice
  Department. After a disposition hearing held in accordance with
  Section 54.04, the juvenile court may commit a child who is found to
  have engaged in delinquent conduct that constitutes a felony to the
  Texas Juvenile Justice Department without a determinate sentence,
  if the court makes a special commitment finding that the child has
  behavioral health or other special needs that cannot be met with the
  resources available in the community, as documented in a validated
  needs assessment conducted by the juvenile probation department
  serving the court. 
         SECTION 6.  The changes in law made by Sections 5 and 6 of
  this Act apply only to an offense committed on or after the
  effective date applicable to those sections of this Act. An offense
  committed before the effective date of those sections of this Act is
  governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed,
  and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For
  purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the
  effective date of those sections of this Act if any element of the
  offense occurred before that date.
         SECTION 7.  Sections 1, 2 and 3 of this Act take effect
  September 1, 2015. Sections 5 and 6 of this Act take effect
  September 1, 2017.