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2 Document(s) [ Subject: Ombudsmen ]
Committee: | House Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence | |
Title: | Interim Report | |
Subjects: | Asbestos lawsuits | Bankruptcy | Child custody | Court Administration, Texas Office of | Court costs and fees | Court records | Family violence | Guardianship | Lawsuit lending | Legislative intent | Ombudsmen | Protective orders | Rules and regulations | Statutory revision | Wills and estates | | |
Library Call Number: | L1836.82 J898 | |
Session: | 82nd R.S. (2011) | |
Online version: | View report [34 pages] | |
Charges: | This report should address the charges below. | |
1. | Study the potential effects on victims of family and domestic violence in the judicial process if courts are allowed to issue agreed protective orders without a finding of violence. | |
2. | Study and make recommendations regarding the discrepancies in guardianship and child custody statutes. Review potential solutions to the problems surrounding "arbitrary and capricious" findings by trial court judges. | |
3. | Study the rules of statutory construction and establish a method of determining legislative intent. | |
4. | Study the degree of transparency in asbestos bankruptcy trusts and how it affects litigation of asbestos exposure claims in Texas courts. | |
5. | Study the public policy implications of lawsuit lending and its effects on the civil justice system. | |
6. | Study whether the asbestos and silica multidistrict litigation courts should be allowed to dismiss, without prejudice, claims on the courts' inactive dockets for want of prosecution under certain circumstances. | |
7. | Study best practices regarding corporate governance. Make recommendations on the confidentiality of communications to ombudsmen in order to provide more protections to complaining parties. | |
8. | Monitor the agencies and programs under the committee's jurisdiction and the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 82nd Legislature. | |
Committee: | Senate Criminal Justice | |
Title: | Interim Report | |
Library Catalog Title: | Interim report to the 81st Legislature | |
Subjects: | Capital murder trials | Child abuse | Correctional officers | Criminal justice | Criminal Justice, Texas Department of | Deferred adjudication | Drug trafficking | Homicide | Juvenile justice system | Mental health services | Mentally ill inmates | Methamphetamine | Occupational licenses | Ombudsmen | Pardons and Paroles, Texas Board of | Penalties and sentences (Criminal justice) | Police officers | Prison population | Prison security | Prisoner re-entry | Privately-operated prisons | Pseudoephedrine | Recidivism | Searches and seizures | Sex offenders | Substance abuse | Texas Code of Criminal Procedure | Theft | Youth Commission, Texas | Youthful offenders | | |
Library Call Number: | L1836.80 C868 | |
Session: | 80th R.S. (2007) | |
Online version: | View report [113 pages File size: 13,967 kb] | |
Charges: | This report should address the charges below. | |
1. | Determine how private prisons are complying with state laws and how cost, safety, living conditions and rehabilitative services at private prisons compare with state-run facilities. Include an assessment of the staff turnover rates and compensation of private contractors when compared with state-operated facilities, and of the contract bidding processes used by the Texas Youth Commission and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. | |
2. | Monitor the implementation of SB 103, 80th R.S., and the continuing reforms to the Texas Youth Commission and the juvenile criminal justice system. Identify barriers to effective implementation and provide recommendations to ensure that the goals of this legislation are achieved. Provide recommendations relating to best practices and identify needed additional treatment programs for juvenile sex offenders. | |
3. | Study the impact of laws designed to reduce illegal drug use and make recommendations for reducing access to illegal drugs and for developing best practices for preventative programs, focusing on drugs targeted for the younger population, such as cheese heroin. Assess the impact of limiting access to pseudoephedrine, including the impact restrictions have had on illegal manufacturers' methods for producing methamphetamine. | |
4. | Monitor the implementation of the new and expanded programs provided to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) within the Fiscal Year 2008 and 2009 budget, and identify their impact on the criminal justice populations. Study security issues within TDCJ, including staffing issues, use of lock down procedures, the control and containment of infectious diseases and the introduction and control of contraband within the institutions. Review the use of career ladders for employees of TDCJ and issues surrounding the retention of professional corrections staff. Study the issues of independent oversight of TDCJ, including the use and effectiveness of the TDCJ ombudsman system. Provide recommendations for the reduction or elimination of barriers to an effective corrections system. | |
5. | Study and make recommendations for reducing the number of law enforcement officer deaths in the line of duty. This study should include:
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6. | Study the issue of criminal asset seizure and the use of seized and forfeiture funds by district attorneys and law enforcement agencies. Review the oversight of these matters by the Texas Attorney General and provide recommendations to improve the dissemination of information concerning these funds. Ensure that these funds have the appropriate accountability and fiscal controls required for public funds. | |
7. | Study the system of deferred adjudication in Texas courts and make recommendations for resolving any problems and reducing the potential for release of dangerous criminals. | |
8. | Study and recommend best practices for reducing re-victimization of child abuse victims associated with delay in resolution of criminal cases. Recommend options for reducing the time lapse between child victimization and criminal hearings. | |
9. | Review the processes for re-entry of criminal offenders into communities. Identify barriers to the successful return to law-abiding behavior, including the absence of employment opportunities created by restriction on obtaining certain state occupational licenses. Provide recommendations for improvements to our current statutes governing this matter. | |
10. | Study whether Articles 36.09 (relating to trying multiple defendants from the same transaction either separately or jointly) and 36.10 (relating to severing defendants that show prejudice from a joint trial) of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure provide sufficient safeguards to ensure fair and reliable trial results in capital cases with multiple defendants. Determine whether the articles provide trial judges with sufficient instruction regarding joinder or severance of defendants and, if not, make recommendations to improve procedures. | |
11. | Study the relationship between the public mental health system and the criminal justice and civil courts systems, including the identification and sharing of information regarding mentally ill offenders, including minors, among criminal justice and mental health agencies, the courts, state hospitals, and the Veterans Administration. Study how current confidentiality laws impact the exchange of information among groups described above. Study the sentencing of mentally ill offenders compared to non-mentally ill offenders, including minors, and the affect that has on statewide prison capacity and on the health care provided to mentally ill offenders. (Joint Charge with Senate State Affairs Committee) | |
12. | Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the Criminal Justice Committee, 80th R.S., and make recommendations for any legislation needed to improve, enhance, and/or complete implementation. Specifically, report on the implementation of SB 909, 80th R.S., the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Sunset legislation, including provisions relating to the Board of Pardons and Paroles, and monitor implementation of the new laws relating to copper theft (SB 1154, 80th R.S., HB 1766, 80th R.S., and HB 1767, 80th R.S.). |
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