MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON JURISPRUDENCE
Thursday, April 25, 2002
10:00 a.m.
Burnett-Bayland Home
Houston, Texas
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule
11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Jurisprudence
was held on Thursday, April 25, 2002, in the Burnett-Bayland
Home, Houston, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Royce West Senator David Bernsen
Senator J. E. Brown Senator Robert Duncan
Senator Mike Jackson Senator Rodney Ellis
Senator Jeff Wentworth
*****
The chair called the meeting to order at 10:10 a.m. The
following business was transacted:
Senator West gave opening remarks.
Representative Scott Hochberg from District 132 attended the
meeting and gave welcoming remarks.
Senator Brown and Senator Jackson gave opening remarks.
The chair laid out charge 1: Study the effectiveness of the
progressive sanction guidelines for juvenile offenders.
Determine whether the guidelines established by H.B. 327, 74th
Legislature, are bringing consistency, uniformity, and
predictability to juvenile dispositions in an effort to
facilitate juvenile justice planning and improve the allocation
of resources within the juvenile justice system. The Committee
shall make recommendations for improving the effectiveness of
juvenile sanctions in protecting public safety and
rehabilitating offenders.
The following witnesses testified:
Panel 1
Dr. Tony Fabelo, representing the Criminal Justice Policy
Council
Professor Robert Dawson, representing self
Vicki Spriggs, representing the Texas Justice Probation
Commission
Neil Nichols, representing the Texas Youth Commission
Panel 2
Judge Robert Eckels, representing the Harris County Juvenile
Board and Commissioners Court
Judge Kent Ellis, representing the 315th District Court
Judge Pat Shelton, representing self
Judge Veronica Morgan-Price, representing Morgan-Price
Enterprises
Judge Jo Ann Delgado, representing Harris County J-P 2-1
Judge Tony Polumbo, representing self
At 1:10 p.m. the chair announced that the Committee recess for
lunch.
At 1:50 p.m. the Committee reconvened.
Panel 3
Chief Elmer Bailey, representing the Harris County Juvenile
Probation Department
Elizabeth Godwin, representing the Harris County District
Attorney
Ann Campbell, representing Juvenile Respondents
Panel 4
Judge Larry Thorne, representing Jefferson County
Officer Mike Griffiths, representing the Dallas County Juvenile
Department
Officer Carey Cockerell, representing Tarrant County Juvenile
Services
Officer Alan Brown, representing the Hunt County Juvenile
Probation Department
Officer James Martin, representing Jefferson County
Officer Orlando Torres, representing San Patricio, Aransas, Bee,
McMullen, and Live Oak counties and representing the Juvenile
Justice Association of Texas
Panel 5
Dee Kifowit, representing the Texas Council on Offenders with
Mental Impairments
Russell Mai, representing the Council on Alcohol and Drugs -
Houston
Dr. Elaine Rodney, representing self
Dr. Phillip Lyons, representing the College of Criminal Justice,
Sam Houston State University
Miguel Anglada, representing the Texas Department of Mental
Health and Mental Retardation
The following people registered but did not testify:
George Ford, representing the Harris County Children's
Protective Services
Dr. Regina Hicks, representing the Texas Department of Mental
Health and Mental Retardation - Harris County
Ernest McMillan, representing the Fifth Ward Enrichment Program
There being no further business, at 3:42 p.m. Senator West moved
that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of the
chair. Without objection, it was so ordered.
______________________
Senator Royce West, Chair
______________________
Stephanie Hoover, Clerk