House Committee on County Affairs - 84th R.S. (2015)
| Committee: | House County Affairs | |
| Title: | Interim Report | |
| Subjects: | Bail | Child abuse | Child Protective Services | County jails | County roads | Court costs and fees | Criminal justice | Criminal records | Electronic security | Emergency management | Fees | Indigent health care | Jail Standards, Texas Commission on | Managed care | Medicaid | Mentally ill inmates | Mentally ill persons | Natural disasters | Police officers | Suicide | | |
| Library Call Number: | L1836.84 C832 | |
| Session: | 84th R.S. (2015) | |
| Online version: | View report [112 pages] | |
| Charges: | This report should address the charges below. | |
| 1. | Review jail standards and procedures with regards to potentially mentally ill persons in county jails, as well as issues stemming from interactions between the general public and peace officers. * | |
| 2. | Study the effectiveness and efficiency of current programs in Texas as well as best practices to determine how to decrease the risk and mitigate the impact of wildfires, floods, and other natural hazards in the wildland-urban interface. Examine the duties, performance, and jurisdictions of water districts, municipalities, Emergency Services Districts, other similar districts, and state offices like the Fire Marshal and Extension Services. Evaluate current regulations and identify best practices. Recommend approaches for hazard mitigation and response to natural disasters. (Joint charge with the House Committee on Urban Affairs) | |
| 3. | Identify and address potential gaps in counties’ cybersecurity policies and ensure that personal information held by counties and other local governmental entities is secure. | |
| 4. | Evaluate the Texas Commission on Jail Standards to determine if the Commission has the resources and structure to provide sufficient oversight, regulation, and enforcement over Texas county jails. | |
| 5. | Review pretrial service and bonding practices throughout the state. Examine factors considered in bail and pre-trial confinement decisions, including the use of risk assessments; assess the effectiveness and efficiency of different systems in terms of cost to local governments and taxpayers, community safety, pretrial absconding rates and rights of the accused. (Joint charge with the House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence) | |
| 6. | Study the implications and effects on law enforcement agencies and individuals that stem from the publication, republication, or other dissemination for public internet access of mug shots and other criminal history information regarding involvement of an individual in the criminal justice system. | |
| 7. | Study statutorily mandated services provided by sheriffs and constables, and determine whether fee schedules allow cost recovery without placing undue burdens on recipients of those services. | |
| 8. | Study the effect of Proposition 5 (SJR 17 (84R)) on the quality of private roadways in counties with a population of less than 7,500. Make recommendations to ensure the amendment does not result in undue competition between counties and private industry, and whether additional counties could benefit from a similar authorization. | |
| 9. | Conduct legislative oversight and monitoring of the agencies and programs under the committee’s jurisdiction and the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 84th Legislature. In conducting this oversight, the committee should: a. consider any reforms to state agencies to make them more responsive to Texas taxpayers and citizens; b. identify issues regarding the agency or its governance that may be appropriate to investigate, improve, remedy, or eliminate; c. determine whether an agency is operating in a transparent and efficient manner; and d. identify opportunities to streamline programs and services while maintaining the mission of the agency and its programs. | |
| Supporting documents | ||
| Committee: | House County Affairs | |
| Title: | Committee meeting handouts and testimony, February 19, 2015 (County associations, Healthcare) | |
| Library Call Number: | ||
| Session: | 84th R.S. (2015) | |
| Online version: | View document [62 pages File size: 4,536 kb] | |
| Committee: | House County Affairs | |
| Title: | Committee meeting handouts and testimony, March 5, 2015 (Healthcare and 1115 waiver, County jails and councils of government, Emergency services districts, builders, and manufacturers) | |
| Library Call Number: | ||
| Session: | 84th R.S. (2015) | |
| Online version: | View document [119 pages File size: 6,682 kb] | |
| Committee: | House County Affairs | |
| Title: | Committee meeting handouts and testimony, March 12, 2015 (Population growth, Health care workforce shortage) | |
| Library Call Number: | ||
| Session: | 84th R.S. (2015) | |
| Online version: | View document [141 pages File size: 13,537 kb] | |
| Committee: | House County Affairs | |
| Title: | Committee meeting handouts and testimony, July 30, 2015 (Jail standards, procedures with regards to potentially mentally ill persons in county jails, and interactions between the public and peace officers) | |
| Library Call Number: | ||
| Session: | 84th R.S. (2015) | |
| Online version: | View document [97 pages File size: 9,387 kb] | |
| Committee: | House County Affairs | |
| Title: | Committee meeting handouts and testimony, September 15, 2015 (Jail standards and coordination among entities) | |
| Library Call Number: | ||
| Session: | 84th R.S. (2015) | |
| Online version: | View document [37 pages File size: 3,753 kb] | |
| Committee: | House County Affairs | |
| Title: | Committee meeting handouts and testimony, November 18, 2015 (Department of Public Safety racial coding, Jail standards, Screening forms and instructions for suicide and medical/mental/developmental impairments) | |
| Library Call Number: | ||
| Session: | 84th R.S. (2015) | |
| Online version: | View document [114 pages File size: 7,718 kb] | |
| Committee: | House County Affairs | |
| Title: | Committee meeting handouts and testimony, May 16, 2016, 10:00 A.M. (1115 transformation waiver, Child Protective Services) | |
| Library Call Number: | ||
| Session: | 84th R.S. (2015) | |
| Online version: | View document [60 pages File size: 16,566 kb] | |
| Committee: | House County Affairs | |
| Title: | Committee meeting handouts and testimony, May 16, 2016, 1:00 P.M. (Natural disasters) | |
| Library Call Number: | ||
| Session: | 84th R.S. (2015) | |
| Online version: | View document [88 pages File size: 26,697 kb] | |
| Committee: | House County Affairs | |
| Title: | Committee meeting handouts and testimony, June 10, 2016 (County cybersecurity, Child Protective Services) | |
| Library Call Number: | ||
| Session: | 84th R.S. (2015) | |
| Online version: | View document [22 pages File size: 822 kb] | |
| Committee: | House County Affairs | |
| Title: | Committee meeting handouts and testimony, July 7, 2016 (Child Protective Services, 1115 transformation waiver, County cybersecurity) | |
| Library Call Number: | ||
| Session: | 84th R.S. (2015) | |
| Online version: | View document [55 pages File size: 3,050 kb] | |
| Committee: | House County Affairs | |
| Title: | Committee meeting handouts and testimony, August 4, 2016 (Child Protective Services, Debtors prisons, 1115 transformation waiver) | |
| Library Call Number: | ||
| Session: | 84th R.S. (2015) | |
| Online version: | View document [72 pages File size: 14,626 kb] | |
| Committee: | House County Affairs | |
| Title: | Committee meeting handouts and testimony, August 29, 2016 (1115 transformation waiver, Child Protective Services, County cybersecurity, Bexar County justice-involved veterans unit) | |
| Library Call Number: | ||
| Session: | 84th R.S. (2015) | |
| Online version: | View document [88 pages File size: 10,919 kb] | |
| Committee: | House County Affairs | |
| Title: | Committee meeting handouts and testimony, September 20, 2016 (Department of Public Safety racial disparities; Waller County Sheriff's Office, Recommended police and jail practices) | |
| Library Call Number: | ||
| Session: | 84th R.S. (2015) | |
| Online version: | View document [74 pages File size: 11,569 kb] | |
| Committee: | House County Affairs | |
| Title: | Committee meeting handouts and testimony, November 16, 2016 (Department of Public Safety and criminal justice reform, Child Protective Services) | |
| Library Call Number: | ||
| Session: | 84th R.S. (2015) | |
| Online version: | View document [276 pages File size: 31,098 kb] | |
* This represents an abstract of the report contents. Charge text is incomplete or unavailable.
Information on this website is provided as a public service by the Legislative Reference Library. The Legislative Reference Library makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy and makes no warranty in regard to its use. Users assume all risk of reliance on the information included on this site.