Bill Text: TX HB865 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Relating to establishing a veterans services coordinator for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and a veterans reentry dorm program for certain state jail defendants confined by the department.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Passed) 2017-06-15 - Effective on 9/1/17 [HB865 Detail]

Download: Texas-2017-HB865-Introduced.html

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85R5625 JRR-D
By: Blanco H.B. No. 865

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to establishing a veterans services coordinator for the
Texas Department of Criminal Justice and a veterans rehabilitation
dorm program for certain state jail defendants confined by the
department.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 501, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 501.025 to read as follows:
Sec. 501.025. VETERANS SERVICES COORDINATOR. (a) The
department shall establish a veterans services coordinator to
coordinate responses to the needs of veterans under the supervision
of the department, including veterans who are released on parole or
mandatory supervision. The veterans services coordinator, with the
cooperation of the community justice assistance division, shall
provide information to community supervision and corrections
departments to help those departments coordinate responses to the
needs of veterans placed on community supervision. The veterans
services coordinator shall coordinate veterans' services for all of
the department's divisions.
(b) The veterans services coordinator, in collaboration
with the attorney general's office, shall provide each incarcerated
veteran a child support modification application.
SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 507, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 507.034 to read as follows:
Sec. 507.034. VETERANS REHABILITATION DORM PROGRAM. (a)
The department shall establish a voluntary rehabilitation and
transition program for defendants confined in state jail felony
facilities:
(1) who are veterans of the United States armed
forces, including veterans of the reserves, national guard, or
state guard; and
(2) who suffer from a brain injury, a mental illness, a
mental disorder, including post-traumatic stress disorder, or
substance abuse that:
(A) occurred during or resulted from their
military service; and
(B) may have contributed to their criminal
activity.
(b) The program must:
(1) house defendants participating in the program in
housing that is designed to mimic the squadron structure familiar
to veterans;
(2) provide rehabilitation programming in developing
healthy relationships, anger management techniques, and substance
abuse treatment; and
(3) to the extent feasible, not later than the 30th day
before the date a defendant participating in the program is
released or discharged from the department:
(A) match the defendant with a Military Veteran
Peer Network peer service coordinator to assist the defendant in
transitioning into the community; and
(B) transfer the defendant to a state jail felony
facility located near the defendant's home community, or the
community in which the defendant intends to reside after the
defendant's release or discharge, to begin establishing transition
relationships with the peer service coordinator and family members.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.