HB 153

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
(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,
(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,
(A)  occurred during or resulted from the
defendant's military service; and
(B)  affected the defendant's criminal conduct at
(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.