| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
relating to a specialty court program for sexual assault victim |
|
|
services. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Title 2, Government Code, is amended by adding |
|
|
Subtitle K-1 to read as follows: |
|
|
SUBTITLE K-1. SPECIALTY COURTS FOR VICTIMS |
|
|
CHAPTER 141. SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIM SERVICES COURT PROGRAM |
|
|
Sec. 141.001. SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIM SERVICES COURT PROGRAM |
|
|
DEFINED. In this chapter, "sexual assault victim services court |
|
|
program" means a program that has the following essential |
|
|
characteristics: |
|
|
(1) the integration of services provided by public |
|
|
agencies and community organizations for victims in sexual assault |
|
|
cases; |
|
|
(2) the use of prosecutors with experience in |
|
|
prosecuting sexual assault cases and judges with experience in |
|
|
hearing sexual assault cases; |
|
|
(3) early identification and prompt assignment of |
|
|
eligible cases to the court designated under Section 141.002(b); |
|
|
(4) access by victims to counseling and other related |
|
|
services provided by public agencies and community organizations; |
|
|
(5) development of partnerships with public agencies |
|
|
and community organizations; |
|
|
(6) monitoring and evaluation of program goals and |
|
|
effectiveness; |
|
|
(7) continuing interdisciplinary education to promote |
|
|
effective program planning, implementation, and operations; |
|
|
(8) inclusion of a participant's family members who |
|
|
agree to be involved in the services provided to the participant |
|
|
under the program; |
|
|
(9) prosecution of sexual assault offenses; |
|
|
(10) issuance of orders of protection to victims on |
|
|
the victim's consent and as authorized by state law; and |
|
|
(11) continued monitoring of sexual assault |
|
|
defendants through prosecution and adjudication and for the |
|
|
duration of an offender's sentence. |
|
|
Sec. 141.002. AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH PROGRAM; ELIGIBILITY. |
|
|
(a) The commissioners court of a county may establish a sexual |
|
|
assault victim services court program for participants who are |
|
|
victims of an alleged sexual assault in which a person is arrested |
|
|
for or charged with an offense under Chapter 21 or 22, Penal Code. |
|
|
(b) The local administrative judge, for the courts for which |
|
|
the judge serves as local administrative judge, may designate a |
|
|
court in the county for assignment of cases described by Subsection |
|
|
(a). The judge of the court must have experience hearing sexual |
|
|
assault cases under Chapter 21 or 22, Penal Code. The prosecuting |
|
|
attorney for the court must have experience in prosecuting sexual |
|
|
assault offenses under Chapter 21 or 22, Penal Code. |
|
|
Sec. 141.003. DUTIES OF SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIM SERVICES |
|
|
COURT PROGRAM. (a) A sexual assault victim services court program |
|
|
established under this chapter must: |
|
|
(1) ensure that a victim eligible for participation in |
|
|
the program volunteers to proceed through the program; and |
|
|
(2) allow a participant to withdraw from the program |
|
|
at any time. |
|
|
(b) A sexual assault victim services court program |
|
|
established under this chapter shall make, establish, and publish |
|
|
local procedures to ensure maximum participation of eligible |
|
|
victims in the county. |
|
|
Sec. 141.004. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. A county may |
|
|
accept a gift, grant, donation, or bequest of money, services, |
|
|
equipment, goods, or other tangible or intangible property from any |
|
|
source for the sexual assault victim services court program. |
|
|
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |