HUMAN RESOURCES CODE CHAPTER 202. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS

HUMAN RESOURCES CODE

TITLE 12. JUVENILE JUSTICE SERVICES AND FACILITIES

SUBTITLE A. TEXAS JUVENILE JUSTICE BOARD AND TEXAS JUVENILE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT

CHAPTER 202. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS

Sec. 202.001. COMPOSITION OF BOARD; PRESIDING OFFICER. (a) The board is composed of the following nine members appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate:

(1) one member who is a district court judge of a court designated as a juvenile court;

(2) one member who is a member of a county commissioners court with juvenile justice experience;

(3) one prosecutor in juvenile court;

(4) one chief juvenile probation officer of a juvenile probation department serving a county with a population that includes fewer than 7,500 persons younger than 18 years of age;

(5) one chief juvenile probation officer of a juvenile probation department serving a county with a population that includes at least 7,500 but fewer than 80,000 persons younger than 18 years of age;

(6) one chief juvenile probation officer of a juvenile probation department serving a county with a population that includes 80,000 or more persons younger than 18 years of age;

(7) one adolescent mental health treatment professional licensed under Subtitle B or I, Title 3, Occupations Code, or a representative from a local mental health authority designated under Chapter 533, Health and Safety Code, who has experience working with children;

(8) one member who is:

(A) an educator, as that term is defined by Section 5.001, Education Code, with juvenile justice experience; or

(B) a juvenile justice professional with experience managing a secure juvenile justice facility operated by the department or a county; and

(9) one member of the general public.

(b) Members serve staggered six-year terms, with the terms of three members expiring on February 1 of each odd-numbered year.

(c) The governor shall designate a member of the board as the presiding officer of the board to serve in that capacity at the pleasure of the governor.

(d) The governor shall make appointments to the board without regard to the race, color, disability, sex, religion, age, or national origin of the appointees.

(e) A member appointed under Subsections (a)(1)-(6) may not hold office in the same county or judicial district as another member appointed under those subsections.

Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 85 (S.B. 653), Sec. 1.002, eff. September 1, 2011.

Amended by:

Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 950 (S.B. 1727), Sec. 14, eff. September 1, 2023.

Sec. 202.002. RESTRICTIONS ON BOARD MEMBERSHIP AND DEPARTMENT EMPLOYMENT. (a) A person may not be a public member of the board if the person or the person's spouse:

(1) is employed in the field of criminal or juvenile justice;

(2) is employed by or participates in the management of a business entity or other organization regulated by or receiving money from the department;

(3) owns or controls, directly or indirectly, more than a 10 percent interest in a business entity or other organization regulated by or receiving money from the department; or

(4) uses or receives a substantial amount of tangible goods, services, or money from the department, other than compensation or reimbursement authorized by law for board membership, attendance, or expenses.

(b) A person may not be a board member and may not be a department employee employed in a "bona fide executive, administrative, or professional capacity," as that phrase is used for purposes of establishing an exemption to the overtime provisions of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. Section 201 et seq.), if:

(1) the person is an officer, employee, or paid consultant of a Texas trade association in the field of criminal or juvenile justice; or

(2) the person's spouse is an officer, manager, or paid consultant of a Texas trade association in the field of criminal or juvenile justice.

(c) A person may not be a board member or act as the general counsel to the board or the department if the person is required to register as a lobbyist under Chapter 305, Government Code, because of the person's activities for compensation on behalf of a profession related to the operation of the department.

(d) In this section, "Texas trade association" means a cooperative and voluntarily joined statewide association of business or professional competitors in this state designed to assist its members and its industry or profession in dealing with mutual business or professional problems and in promoting their common interest.

Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 85 (S.B. 653), Sec. 1.002, eff. September 1, 2011.

Sec. 202.003. PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO JUDICIAL MEMBERS. (a) A judge's place on the board becomes vacant when the judge ceases to hold a judicial office.

(b) A judge's service on the board is an additional duty of office.

(1) a court designated as a juvenile court; or

(2) a court that is one of several courts that rotate being the juvenile court.

Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 85 (S.B. 653), Sec. 1.002, eff. September 1, 2011.

Sec. 202.004. REMOVAL OF BOARD MEMBERS. (a) It is a ground for removal from the board if a member:

(1) does not have at the time of taking office the qualifications required by Sections 202.001 and 202.003;

(2) does not maintain during service on the board the qualifications required by Sections 202.001 and 202.003;

(3) is ineligible for membership under Section 202.002;

(4) cannot, because of illness or disability, discharge the member's duties for a substantial part of the term; or

(5) is absent from more than half of the regularly scheduled board meetings that the member is eligible to attend during a calendar year unless the absence is excused by majority vote of the board.

(b) The validity of an action of the board is not affected by the fact that the action is taken when a ground for removal of a board member exists.

(c) If the executive director has knowledge that a potential ground for removal exists, the executive director shall notify the presiding officer of the board of the potential ground. The presiding officer shall then notify the governor and the attorney general that a potential ground for removal exists. If the potential ground for removal involves the presiding officer, the executive director shall notify the next highest ranking officer of the board, who shall then notify the governor and the attorney general that a potential ground for removal exists.

Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 85 (S.B. 653), Sec. 1.002, eff. September 1, 2011.

Sec. 202.005. BOARD MEMBER RECUSAL. (a) A chief juvenile probation officer who is a board member shall avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest by not voting or participating in any decision by the board that solely benefits or penalizes or otherwise solely impacts the juvenile probation department over which the chief juvenile probation officer has authority. The chief juvenile probation officer may not vote or render any decisions regarding matters of officer discipline presented to the board regarding the chief juvenile probation officer's department.

(a-1) If a juvenile justice professional is appointed as a board member under Section 202.001(a)(8), the member shall avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest by not voting or participating in any decision by the board that solely benefits or penalizes or otherwise solely impacts any juvenile probation department or facility the professional is employed by or works for under a contract. The professional may not vote or render any decisions regarding matters of officer discipline presented to the board regarding any juvenile probation department or facility the professional is employed by or works for under a contract.

(b) The board may adopt recusal requirements in addition to those described by Subsections (a) and (a-1), including requirements that are more restrictive than those described by those subsections.

Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 85 (S.B. 653), Sec. 1.002, eff. September 1, 2011.

Amended by:

Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 950 (S.B. 1727), Sec. 15, eff. September 1, 2023.

Sec. 202.006. TRAINING FOR BOARD MEMBERS. (a) A person who is appointed to and qualifies for office as a member of the board may not vote, deliberate, or be counted as a member in attendance at a meeting of the board until the person completes a training program that complies with this section.

(b) The training program must provide the person with information regarding:

(1) the law governing department operations;

(2) the programs, functions, rules, and budget of the department;

(3) the scope of and limitations on the rulemaking authority of the board;

(4) the results of the most recent formal audit of the department;

(5) the requirements of:

(A) laws relating to open meetings, public information, administrative procedure, and disclosing conflicts of interest; and

(B) other laws applicable to members of a state policymaking body in performing their duties; and

(6) any applicable ethics policies adopted by the department or the Texas Ethics Commission.

(c) A person appointed to the board is entitled to reimbursement, as provided by the General Appropriations Act, for the travel expenses incurred in attending the training program regardless of whether the attendance at the program occurs before or after the person qualifies for office.

(d) The executive director shall create a training manual that includes the information required by Subsection (b). The executive director shall distribute a copy of the training manual annually to each member of the board. Each member of the board shall sign and submit to the executive director a statement acknowledging that the member received and has reviewed the training manual.

Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 85 (S.B. 653), Sec. 1.002, eff. September 1, 2011.

Amended by:

Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 950 (S.B. 1727), Sec. 16, eff. September 1, 2023.

Sec. 202.007. REIMBURSEMENT. A board member is not entitled to compensation for service on the board but is entitled to reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses incurred in performing official duties as a board member.

Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 85 (S.B. 653), Sec. 1.002, eff. September 1, 2011.

Sec. 202.008. MEETINGS; PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. (a) The board shall hold regular quarterly meetings on dates set by the board and special meetings at the call of the presiding officer.

(b) The board shall adopt rules regulating the board's proceedings.

(d) The board shall develop and implement policies that provide the public with a reasonable opportunity to appear before the board and to speak on any issue under the jurisdiction of the department.

Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 85 (S.B. 653), Sec. 1.002, eff. September 1, 2011.

Sec. 202.009. AUDIT; AUTHORITY OF STATE AUDITOR. (a) The department is subject to audit by the state auditor in accordance with Chapter 321, Government Code.

(b) The state auditor, on request of the office of inspector general, may provide information or other assistance to the office of inspector general that the state auditor determines is appropriate. The office of inspector general may coordinate with the state auditor to review or schedule a plan for an investigation under Subchapter C, Chapter 242, or share other information.

(c) The state auditor may access all information maintained by the office of inspector general, such as vouchers, electronic data, and internal records, including information that is otherwise confidential under law. Information obtained by the state auditor under this subsection is confidential and is not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552, Government Code.

(d) Any provision of this title relating to the operations of the office of inspector general does not:

(1) supersede the authority of the state auditor to conduct an audit under Chapter 321, Government Code; or

(2) prohibit the state auditor from:

(A) conducting an audit, investigation, or other review; or

(B) having full and complete access to all records and other information concerning the department, including any witness statement or electronic data, that the state auditor considers necessary for the audit, investigation, or review.

Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 85 (S.B. 653), Sec. 1.002, eff. September 1, 2011.

Sec. 202.010. SUNSET PROVISION. The Texas Juvenile Justice Board and the Texas Juvenile Justice Department are subject to Chapter 325, Government Code (Texas Sunset Act). Unless continued in existence as provided by that chapter, the board and the department are abolished September 1, 2027.

Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 85 (S.B. 653), Sec. 1.002, eff. September 1, 2011.

Amended by:

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 938 (H.B. 3123), Sec. 1.02, eff. June 18, 2015.

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 962 (S.B. 1630), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2015.

Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 596 (S.B. 619), Sec. 2.04, eff. June 10, 2019.

Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 950 (S.B. 1727), Sec. 17, eff. September 1, 2023.