H.B. No. 2955

	AN ACT
	relating to oversight of specialty court programs.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 121.002, Government Code, is amended by
	amending Subsections (c) and (d) and adding Subsections (f) and (g)
	to read as follows:
	(c)  Notwithstanding any other law, a specialty court
	program may not operate until the judge, magistrate, or
	coordinator:
	(1)  provides to the Office of Court Administration of
	the Texas Judicial System [criminal justice division of the
	governor's office]:
	(A)  written notice of the program;
	(B)  any resolution or other official declaration
	under which the program was established; and
	(C)  a copy of the applicable strategic plan that
	incorporates duties related to supervision that will be required
	under the program; and
	(2)  receives from the office [division] written
	verification of the program's compliance with Subdivision (1).
	(d)  A specialty court program shall:
	(1)  comply with all programmatic best practices
	recommended by the Specialty Courts Advisory Council under Section
	772.0061(b)(2) and approved by the Texas Judicial Council; and
	(2)  report to the criminal justice division of the
	governor's office and the Texas Judicial Council any information
	required by the division or council regarding the performance of
	the program.
	(f)  The Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial
	System shall:
	(1)  on request provide technical assistance to the
	specialty court programs;
	(2)  coordinate with an entity funded by the criminal
	justice division of the governor's office that provides services to
	specialty court programs;
	(3)  monitor compliance of the specialty court programs
	with the programmatic best practices as required by Subsection
	(d)(1); and
	(4)  notify the criminal justice division about each
	specialty court program that is not in compliance with the
	programmatic best practices as required by Subsection (d)(1).
	(g)  The Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial
	System shall coordinate with and provide information to the
	criminal justice division of the governor's office on request of
	the division.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.B. No. 2955 was passed by the House on April
	24, 2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 148, Nays 0, 1 present, not
	voting.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House
	I certify that H.B. No. 2955 was passed by the Senate on May
	22, 2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.
	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	APPROVED:  _____________________
	Date
	_____________________
	Governor