(a) Purpose. The Texas Board of Criminal Justice (TBCJ) acknowledges the judiciary's valuable and critical role in the growth, development, and implementation of community corrections policies and programs in Texas. In accordance with Texas Government Code §493.003(b), the Judicial Advisory Council (JAC) is intended to provide a structure for fulfilling that role.
(b) The function of the JAC is to advise the TBCJ and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) Community Justice Assistance Division (CJAD) director on matters of interest to the judiciary. To accomplish this purpose, the JAC shall:
  (1) act as an information exchange and provide expert advice to the TBCJ and the TDCJ CJAD director;
  (2) be given an opportunity to report to the TBCJ at each regularly scheduled meeting on matters of interest to the judiciary, including any item related to the operation of the community justice system determined by the JAC chairperson to require the TBCJ's consideration;
  (3) review 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 TBCJ, if such approval is required by TBCJ policy; and
  (4) review proposed changes to the TDCJ CJAD standards and make recommendations to the TDCJ CJAD director.
(c) In addition to the duties set out in subsection (b) of this section, the JAC shall:
  (1) inform their constituencies regarding issues that affect the corrections system of Texas;
  (2) coordinate its activities with the community justice liaison member of the TBCJ, the TDCJ CJAD director, the community supervision and corrections departments (CSCDs), and any other entities identified by the TDCJ CJAD director or TDCJ executive director; and
  (3) provide a forum for the exchange of information with the network of CSCDs on matters involving community corrections programs.
(d) The JAC chairperson may appoint committees of council members or advisory groups as appropriate to achieve the purposes of this section. The JAC chairperson shall consult with the TDCJ CJAD director regarding the scheduling of meetings of the JAC, JAC committees, or JAC advisory groups, to ensure arrangements can be made and sufficient funds exist to allow reimbursement of expenses for attendance, as 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; amended to be effective January 1, 2017, 41 TexReg 10393; amended to be effective March 29, 2020, 45 TexReg 2024