HBA-CBW, LJP C.S.H.B. 1790 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 1790
By: Clark
Juvenile Justice & Family Issues
3/5/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, when certain cases concerning a child are referred to a
juvenile court, the parent or guardian of the child does not have to be
notified.  As a result, the parent or guardian is often unaware of the
charges being made in a child's case until the case is in juvenile court.
The time span between a case being referred to juvenile court and the
actual hearing may be lengthy, which may not be in the best interest of the
child.  C.S.H.B. 1790 requires the office or official designated by the
juvenile court to notify the child's parent or guardian. 

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. 

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 1790 amends the Family Code to require the office or official
designated by the juvenile court or referral of a case of a child who has
not been taken into custody to the office or official designated by the
juvenile court to promptly give notice of the referral and a statement of
the reason for the referral to the child's parent, guardian, or custodian. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 1790 differs from the original bill by requiring the office or
official designated by the juvenile court, rather than the person or agency
making the referral, to notify the child's parent or guardian of the
referral of a child's case to a juvenile court.