Art. 45.305.  DIVERSION STRATEGIES.  (a)  Diversion strategies include:
(1)  requiring a child to participate in a program, including:
(A)  a court-approved teen court program operated by a service provider;
(B)  a school-related program;
(C)  an educational program, including an alcohol awareness program, a tobacco awareness program, or a drug education program;
(D)  a rehabilitation program; or
(E)  a self-improvement program, including a program relating to self-esteem, leadership, self-responsibility, empathy, parenting, parental responsibility, manners, violence avoidance, anger management, life skills, wellness, or dispute resolution;
(2)  referring a child to a service provider for services, including:
(A)  at-risk youth services under Subchapter D, Chapter 264, Family Code;
(B)  juvenile case manager services under Article 45.056;
(C)  work and job skills training, including job interviewing and work preparation;
(D)  academic monitoring or tutoring, including preparation for a high school equivalency examination administered under Section 7.111, Education Code;
(E)  community-based services;
(F)  mental health screening and clinical assessment;
(G)  counseling, including private or in-school counseling; or
(H)  mentoring services;
(3)  requiring a child to:
(A)  participate in mediation or other dispute resolution processes;
(B)  submit to alcohol or drug testing; or
(C)  substantially comply with a course of treatment prescribed by a physician or other licensed medical or mental health professional; and
(4)  requiring a child, by court order, to:
(A)  pay restitution not to exceed $100 for an offense against property under Title 7, Penal Code;
(B)  perform not more than 20 hours of community service; or
(C)  perform any other reasonable action determined by the court.
(b)  A diversion strategy may be imposed under:
(1)  an intermediate diversion under Article 45.309;
(2)  a diversion by a justice or judge under Article 45.310; or
(3)  a system of graduated sanctions for certain school offenses under Section 37.144, Education Code.
(c)  A diversion strategy under this subchapter may not require a child who is a home-schooled student, as defined by Section 29.916, Education Code, to:
(1)  attend an elementary or secondary school; or
(2)  use an educational curriculum other than the curriculum selected by the parent.
Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 525 (H.B. 3186), Sec. 2, eff. January 1, 2024.