HBA-GUM H.B. 3821 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3821
By: Salinas
Juvenile Justice & Family Issues
4/23/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, Duval County operates a juvenile board under general provisions
described in Subchapter A, Chapter 152, Human Resources Code.  The law
provides that the juvenile board is comprised of the county judge and the
district judge serving Duval County.  The opening of a county juvenile
justice facility later this year may bring additional responsibilities to
the board and increase the need for prompt decision-making authority.  The
district judge resides more than 120 miles from San Diego, the Duval County
seat, which will be the location of the new juvenile justice facility.  An
additional board member from Duval County may be needed to ensure that
juvenile board meetings are conducted efficiently. The addition of a local
board member may eliminate the need for the district judge to travel 120
miles simply to ensure that a quorum is present to conduct business. 

H.B. 3821 creates the Duval County Juvenile Board and adds a county citizen
member appointed by the county judge and the district judge in Duval
County, to the juvenile board.  This bill establishes the district judge as
the chairman and the chief administrative officer of the board and sets
forth the salary range for board members.  This bill also provides that
certain specified sections of the Human Resources Code do not apply to the
Duval County Juvenile Board. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Subchapter D, Chapter 152, Human Resources Code, by
adding Section 152.0721, as follows: 

Sec. 152.0721.  DUVAL COUNTY.  (a)  Establishes that the Duval County
Juvenile Board is composed of the county judge, the district judge in Duval
County, and a citizen of Duval County appointed by the county judge and the
district judge in Duval County.  Provides that the citizen member of the
board serves the same term of office as the district judge in Duval County. 

(b)  Establishes that the district judge is the chairman of the board and
its chief administrative officer. 

(c)  Authorizes the commissioners court to pay the juvenile board members
an annual salary set by the commissioners court between $1,200 and $3,600
for the added duties imposed on the members.  Requires that the salary be
paid in equal monthly installments from the general fund of the county. 

(d)  Requires the juvenile board to appoint not more than five persons to
serve on an advisory council. 

(e)  Provides that Sections 152.0002 (Board Meetings), 152.004 (General
Expenses), 152.0005 (Expenses of Board Members and Juvenile Court),
152.0006 (Fiscal Officer), 152.0007 (Duties), and 152.0008 (Personnel) do
not apply to the juvenile board of Duval  County. 

SECTION 2.  (a)  Effective date: September 1, 1999.  Creates the Duval
County Juvenile Board as of that date. 

(b)  Requires the county judge and the district judge in Duval County to
appoint the citizen member of the county's juvenile board as required by
Section 152.0721(a), Human Resources Code, not later than October 1, 1999. 

(c)  Requires the Duval County Juvenile Board to appoint an advisory board
as required by Section 152.0721(d), Human Resources Code, not later than
January 1, 2000. 

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.