| Vote Recommendation | Economic Freedom | Property Rights | Personal Responsibility | Limited Government | Individual Liberty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Positive | Positive |
Relating to a study conducted by counties on the effectiveness of
establishing a family drug court; establishing a family drug court grant program.
The fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined at this time as the amount and timing of
any appropriations, gifts, grants, or donations are unknown.
HB 3786 would create a Family Drug Court Fund in general revenue to offer grants to counties for the creation of family drug courts. The bill would additionally require all counties that have not established family drug courts to study what effect the creation of one would have in the county. Counties which have completed the study and have submitted a detailed proposal on establishing a county family drug court would then be granted funds by the Texas Health and Human Service Commission to set up a family drug court in their county.
Texas Action supports HB 3786 for promoting the principles of limited government and individual liberty. Family drug courts have the effect of diverting non-violent offenders from the court system into programs that provide for alternative sentencing, in effect easing some of the current load on the court system and ensuring that punishments more accurately fit the crimes. We support the expansion of family drug courts in the state.