By: Zaffirini, et al. S.B. No. 1946     (Manuel, Garcia of Dallas)           A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the creation of a family violence criminal homicide   prevention task force.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 772, Government Code, is   amended by adding Section 772.0065 to read as follows:          Sec. 772.0065.  FAMILY VIOLENCE CRIMINAL HOMICIDE   PREVENTION TASK FORCE. (a)  In this section:                (1)  "Criminal homicide" means an offense under Chapter   19, Penal Code.                (2)  "Family violence" has the meaning assigned by   Section 71.004, Family Code.                (3)  "Steering committee" means the steering committee   of the Family Violence Criminal Homicide Prevention Task Force   established by Subsection (c).                (4)  "Task force" means the Family Violence Criminal   Homicide Prevention Task Force established by this section.          (b)  The governor shall establish the Family Violence   Criminal Homicide Prevention Task Force within the criminal justice   division established under Section 772.006.          (c)  The task force shall include a steering committee   composed of the following members:                (1)  the governor or the governor's designee; and                (2)  the chief executive officer of a statewide family   violence advocacy organization or the chief executive officer's   designee.          (d)  The task force is composed of the following members   appointed by the steering committee:                (1)  four representatives who are employees or   contractors of a family violence center, as defined by Section   51.002, Human Resources Code, from different regions across the   state, representing both rural and urban areas;                (2)  two representatives of a statewide family violence   advocacy organization;                (3)  one representative from an organization that   operates statewide and provides legal services to victims of family   violence;                (4)  one representative from each state agency that has   duties relating to the prevention, investigation, or prosecution of   family violence or that provides services to survivors of family   violence, including:                      (A)  the office of the attorney general;                      (B)  the Health and Human Services Commission;                      (C)  the Office of Court Administration;                      (D)  the Department of State Health Services; and                      (E)  the Department of Family and Protective   Services;                (5)  one representative from the family violence   program operated by the Health and Human Services Commission;                (6)  one representative from the Center for Violence   Prevention at The University of Texas Health Science Center at   Houston;                (7)  the president of the Texas District and County   Attorneys Association or the president's designee;                (8)  the executive director of the Texas Municipal   Police Association or the executive director's designee;                (9)  the executive director of the Texas Commission on   Law Enforcement or the executive director's designee;                (10)  one representative of the Texas Violent Death   Reporting System;                (11)  one representative from a domestic violence high   risk team described by Section 402.039;                (12)  two survivors of family violence; and                 (13)  additional members as considered appropriate by   the steering committee.          (e)  An appointed member serves at the pleasure of the   steering committee.          (f)  The governor shall designate one member of the task   force to serve as the presiding officer.          (g)  The task force shall meet at the call of the presiding   officer.          (h)  The task force shall use any available federal or state   funding for the purposes of this section.          (i)  The steering committee may establish one or more working   groups, composed of members of the task force, to focus on specific   issues regarding the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of   family violence criminal homicide.          (j)  The task force shall:                (1)  analyze the top risk factors that may lead to   family violence criminal homicide;                (2)  advise and provide resources to state agencies and   nonprofit organizations to develop and improve training for   professionals who interact with survivors of family violence;                (3)  collect, analyze, and make publicly available   information, organized by region, regarding:                      (A)  the prevention, investigation, and   prosecution of family violence criminal homicide and other family   violence offenses; and                       (B)  services provided to family violence   survivors, including a list of family violence advocacy   organizations; and                (4)  develop policy recommendations to assist the state   in:                      (A)  effectively coordinating services to family   violence survivors and funding to organizations that provide   services to survivors; and                      (B)  more effectively preventing, investigating,   and prosecuting incidents of family violence criminal homicide.          (k)  Chapter 2110, Government Code, does not apply to the   task force.          (l)  A task force member who is not employed by a state agency   or an individual invited by the presiding officer to participate in   a scheduled task force meeting is entitled to:                (1)  a per diem in the amount provided by the General   Appropriations Act for each day the member performs duties as a task   force member or the individual attends a task force meeting; and                (2)  reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses   incurred in performing duties as a member or participant of the task   force, as applicable.          (m)  Not later than December 1, 2026, the task force shall   submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of   the house of representatives a written report containing the task   force's findings and recommendations for legislative or other   action.          (n)  The task force is abolished and this section expires   January 1, 2028.          SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.