Dallas City Wire

Sen. Royce West introduced SB 698, a bill on Family and Minors, to the Texas Senate on Friday, Jan. 3 during the 89(R) legislative session, according to the Texas Legislature website.

More specifically, the official text was summarized by the state legislature as ’’Relating to the creation of the Office of Youth Health and Safety’’.

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

The bill establishes the Office of Youth Health and Safety within the Texas Office of Forensic Coordination. The office aims to promote trauma-responsive and culturally informed services for children aged 10 to 17 who engage in delinquent conduct, supporting their transition to adulthood and community engagement. Governed by a 21-member board, the office is tasked with creating a plan to overhaul the juvenile justice system, including ending commitments to post-adjudication secure correctional facilities by Sept. 1, 2028. The plan aims to reduce facility populations, promote local alternatives to detention, and address racial and disability disparities. The office will consult experts to devise evidence-based strategies, with a report due to state leaders by Jan. 1, 2027. The legislation becomes effective on Sept. 1, 2025.

Royce West, member of the Senate Committee on Local Government and vice chair of the Senate Committee on Transportation, proposed no more bills during the 89(R) legislative session.

West graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington with a BA and again from University of Houston with an MA.

Royce West is currently serving in the Texas State Senate, representing the state's 23rd Senate district. He replaced previous state senator Eddie Bernice Johnson in 1993.

Bills in Texas go through a multi-step legislative process, including committee review, debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching a final decision. Each session, there are typically thousands of bills introduced, but only a portion successfully navigate the process to become law.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.