bill changes who gets into veterans treatment court

The text as introduced · 311 words

89R231 EAS-F

By: Raymond
H.B. No. 153

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the eligibility of service members and veterans to

participate in a veterans treatment court program.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 124.002(a), Government Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(a) The commissioners court of a county may establish a

veterans treatment court program for persons arrested for, charged

with, convicted of, or placed on deferred adjudication community

supervision for any misdemeanor or felony offense. Except for good

cause shown by an attorney representing the state to deny a

defendant's participation in the program, a [ A ] defendant is

eligible to participate in a veterans treatment court program

established under this chapter [ only if the attorney representing

the state consents to the defendant's participation in the program

and ] if the court in which the criminal case is pending or in which

the defendant was convicted or placed on deferred adjudication

community supervision, as applicable, finds that the defendant is a

veteran or current member of the United States armed forces,

including a member of the reserves, national guard, or state guard,

who:

(1) suffers from a brain injury, mental illness, or

mental disorder, including post-traumatic stress disorder, or was a

victim of military sexual trauma if the injury, illness, disorder,

or trauma:

(A) occurred during or resulted from the

defendant's military service; and

(B) affected the defendant's criminal conduct at

issue in the case; or

(2) is a defendant whose participation in a veterans

treatment court program, considering the circumstances of the

defendant's conduct, personal and social background, and criminal

history, is likely to achieve the objective of ensuring public

safety through rehabilitation of the veteran in the manner provided

by Section 1.02(1), Penal Code.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.