81R11204 HLT-D
By: Marquez H.B. No. 3649
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a policy regarding the receipt of books by mail by an
inmate in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 501, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 501.0051 to read as follows:
Sec. 501.0051. RECEIPT OF BOOKS BY MAIL. (a) The
department shall establish a policy that permits an inmate to
receive by mail reference books and other educational materials
from a volunteer organization that operates programs described by
Section 501.009, regardless of whether the organization provides
those programs to inmates housed in facilities operated by the
department.
(b) The department may adopt rules as necessary to implement
this section, including rules that define the terms "reference
books" and "educational materials."
SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date
of this Act, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shall
establish the policy required by Section 501.0051, Government Code,
as added by this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2009.