HBA-CBW,  LJP H.B. 882 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 882
By: Jones, Jesse
Juvenile Justice & Family Issues
2/11/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, a justice or muncipal court may defer proceedings, and a
juvenile court may defer adjudication proceedings, against certain teen
defendants for 90 days on successful completion of a teen court program.
Teen court is an alternative system of justice, which allows young
offenders to make restitution for their offenses. A youth referred to a
teen court appears before a jury of peers, consisting of teenage volunteers
from local secondary schools.  Teen court keeps the offense off of the
teen's record. House Bill 882 authorizes a justice or a municipal court and
a juvenile court to defer proceedings against such youth until the 90th day
after the date the teen court hearing to determine punishment is held. 

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

House Bill 882 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to authorize a justice
or a municipal court to defer proceedings against a defendant who is under
the age of 18 or enrolled full time in an accredited secondary school in a
program leading toward a high school diploma until the 90th day after the
date of a teen court hearing to determine punishment is held. The bill also
amends the Family Code to authorize a juvenile court to defer adjudication
proceedings against a child for the same period of time. 
  
EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.