| 1 | 1 | | H.B. No. 3649 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | AN ACT |
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| 5 | 5 | | relating to a policy regarding the receipt of books by mail by an |
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| 6 | 6 | | inmate in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. |
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| 7 | 7 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 8 | 8 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 501, Government Code, is |
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| 9 | 9 | | amended by adding Section 501.0051 to read as follows: |
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| 10 | 10 | | Sec. 501.0051. RECEIPT OF BOOKS BY MAIL. (a) The |
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| 11 | 11 | | department shall establish a policy that permits an inmate to |
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| 12 | 12 | | receive by mail reference books and other educational materials |
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| 13 | 13 | | from a volunteer organization that operates programs described by |
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| 14 | 14 | | Section 501.009, regardless of whether the organization provides |
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| 15 | 15 | | those programs to inmates housed in facilities operated by the |
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| 16 | 16 | | department. |
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| 17 | 17 | | (b) The department may adopt rules as necessary to implement |
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| 18 | 18 | | this section, including rules to: |
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| 19 | 19 | | (1) provide for screening of packages sent to inmates; |
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| 20 | 20 | | (2) prohibit inmates from receiving books that might |
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| 21 | 21 | | assist them in committing crimes, such as books on escaping prison; |
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| 22 | 22 | | and |
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| 23 | 23 | | (3) define the terms "reference books" and |
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| 24 | 24 | | "educational materials." |
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| 25 | 25 | | SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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| 26 | 26 | | of this Act, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shall |
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| 27 | 27 | | establish the policy required by Section 501.0051, Government Code, |
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| 28 | 28 | | as added by this Act. |
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| 29 | 29 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 30 | 30 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 31 | 31 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 32 | 32 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 33 | 33 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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| 34 | 34 | | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 35 | 35 | | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 36 | 36 | | I certify that H.B. No. 3649 was passed by the House on May 6, |
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| 37 | 37 | | 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 125, Nays 19, 1 present, not |
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| 38 | 38 | | voting. |
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| 39 | 39 | | ______________________________ |
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| 40 | 40 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 41 | 41 | | I certify that H.B. No. 3649 was passed by the Senate on May |
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| 42 | 42 | | 26, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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| 43 | 43 | | ______________________________ |
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| 44 | 44 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 45 | 45 | | APPROVED: _____________________ |
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| 46 | 46 | | Date |
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| 47 | 47 | | _____________________ |
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| 48 | 48 | | Governor |
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