1. (a) Policy. The Texas Board of Criminal Justice (TBCJ or Board) acknowledges the judiciary's statutory responsibility and the valuable and critical role of the judiciary in the growth, development and implementation of community corrections policies and programs in Texas. The Judicial Advisory Council (JAC) is intended to provide a structure for fulfilling that role.

2. (b) State-level Role of the JAC. In accordance with Texas Government Code, §493.003(b), the function of the JAC is to advise the Board and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice-Community Justice Assistance Division (TDCJ-CJAD) director on matters of interest to the judiciary. To accomplish this purpose, the JAC shall:

   1. (1) Act as an information exchange and provide expert advice to the Board and the TDCJ-CJAD director;
   2. (2) Be given an opportunity to report to the Board at each regularly scheduled meeting on matters of interest to the judiciary, including any item related to the operation of the community justice system, as determined by the JAC Chairman to require the Board's consideration; and
   3. (3) Conduct a review of requests for funding of community corrections programs and projects received by the TDCJ-CJAD, and make recommendations to the TDCJ-CJAD director on the funding of reviewed requests, subject to review, ratification and final approval by the Board, if such approval is required by Board policy.

3. (c) Local-level Role of the JAC. In addition to the duties set out in subsection (b) of this rule, the JAC shall:

   1. (1) Inform and educate, in an appropriate manner, the constituencies that its members represent regarding issues and procedures that affect the corrections system of Texas;
   2. (2) Coordinate its activities with the community justice liaison member of the Board, the TDCJ-CJAD director, the local community supervision and corrections departments (CSCDs), and any other significant entities identified by the TDCJ-CJAD director or the Executive Director of the TDCJ; and
   3. (3) Provide a forum for exchange of information and a dialogue with the network of local CSCDs on matters involving community corrections programs.
4. (d) Additional Authority of the JAC. The JAC Chairman may appoint committees of council members or advisory groups of non-JAC members to achieve the purposes of this rule. The JAC Chairman shall consult with the TDCJ-CJAD director regarding the scheduling of meetings of the JAC, committees of the JAC or advisory groups to the JAC, to ensure arrangements can be made and sufficient funds exist to allow reimbursement of expenses for attendance, where authorized by law.

Source Note:The provisions of this §161.21 adopted to be effective February 12, 1991, 16 TexReg 472; amended to be effective January 2, 1992, 16 TexReg 7539; amended to be effective October 13, 1997, 22 TexReg 9895; amended to be effective April 24, 2002, 27 TexReg 3367; amended to be effective March 10, 2009, 34 TexReg 1715.