HBA-SEB H.B. 2671 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2671 By: Turner, Sylvester Juvenile Justice and Family Issues 7/14/1999 Enrolled BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Prior to the 76th Texas Legislature, the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services (DPRS) was authorized to take possession of a child suspected of conduct violating penal law without notifying the child's parent, managing conservator, or guardian. Under Texas law, children in custody must be taken before a magistrate prior to police interrogation. The magistrate explains the child's rights and then, after questioning, the magistrate is supposed to ensure that a child understands any document which the child may be asked to sign. In the case of Travis County v. LaCresha Murray, 11-year-old LaCresha Murray was taken into custody by DPRS. She was then interviewed by police without the benefit of legal counsel or a guardian in the room. She was convicted of negligent homicide and intentional injury to a child. On a motion for retrial, she was again tried and found guilty of injury to a child. She was sentenced to 25 years. The case is currently under appeal. H.B. 2671 provides that a statement of a child is admissible if the statement is made in writing while the child is in a detention facility or other place of confinement, while the child is in custody of an officer, or during or after the questioning of the child by an officer. This bill also provides that the child must be in the possession of DPRS and be suspected to have engaged in behavior that violates a penal law of this state. 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 Section 51.095, Family Code, by amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsection (d), as follows: (a) Provides that a statement of a child is admissible as evidence in any future proceeding concerning the matter about which the statement was given if the statement is made in writing under a circumstance described by Subsection (d), rather than when the child is in a detention facility or other place of confinement or in the custody of an officer. This subsection applies notwithstanding Section 51.09 (Waiver of Rights) and is subject to other existing conditions. Makes conforming and nonsubstantive changes. (b) Makes conforming changes. (d) Provides that Subsections (a)(1) and (a)(5) apply to the statement of a child made while the child is in a detention facility or other place of confinement, while the child is in custody of an officer, or during or after the interrogation of the child by an officer if the child is in the possession of the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services and is suspected to have engaged in behavior that violates a penal law of this state. SECTION 2. Provides that the change in law made by SECTION 1 of this Act applies only to the admissibility of a statement made on or after the effective date of this Act regardless of when the child was taken into custody. SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 4. Emergency clause.