Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1169 Compare Versions

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11 By: Nichols S.B. No. 1169
22 (In the Senate - Filed February 26, 2009; March 13, 2009,
33 read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal Justice;
44 April 24, 2009, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
55 Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 4, Nays 0; April 24, 2009,
66 sent to printer.)
77 COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1169 By: Carona
88
99
1010 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1111 AN ACT
1212 relating to abolishing the Private Sector Prison Industries
1313 Oversight Authority and to the certification and operation of
1414 private sector prison industries programs.
1515 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1616 SECTION 1. Chapter 492, Government Code, is amended by
1717 adding Section 492.0011 to read as follows:
1818 Sec. 492.0011. PRIVATE SECTOR PRISON INDUSTRIES PROGRAM
1919 MANAGEMENT. (a) The board shall approve, certify, and supervise
2020 private sector prison industries programs operated by the
2121 department, the Texas Youth Commission, and county correctional
2222 facilities in accordance with Subchapter C, Chapter 497.
2323 (b) This section does not authorize the board to direct the
2424 general operations of or to govern the Texas Youth Commission or
2525 county correctional facilities in any manner not specifically
2626 described by Subsection (a).
2727 SECTION 2. Subsections (a) and (c), Section 492.003,
2828 Government Code, are amended to read as follows:
2929 (a) Each member of the board must be representative of the
3030 general public. A person is not eligible for appointment as a
3131 member if the person or the person's spouse:
3232 (1) is a person, other than a judge participating in
3333 the management of a community supervision and corrections
3434 department, who is employed by or participates in the management of
3535 a business entity or other organization regulated by the department
3636 or receiving funds from the department;
3737 (2) owns, or controls directly or indirectly, more
3838 than a 10 percent interest in a business entity or other
3939 organization regulated by the department or receiving funds from
4040 the department, including an entity or organization with which the
4141 department contracts under Subchapter C, Chapter 497; [or]
4242 (3) uses or receives a substantial amount of tangible
4343 goods, services, or funds from the department, other than
4444 compensation or reimbursement authorized by law for board
4545 membership, attendance, or expenses; or
4646 (4) owns, controls directly or indirectly, or is
4747 employed by a business entity or other organization with which the
4848 department contracts concerning a private sector prison industries
4949 program approved and certified by the board under Subchapter C,
5050 Chapter 497.
5151 (c) A person may not be a member of the board and may not be a
5252 department employee employed in a "bona fide executive,
5353 administrative, or professional capacity," as that phrase is used
5454 for purposes of establishing an exemption to the overtime
5555 provisions of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29
5656 U.S.C. Section 201 et seq.) and its subsequent amendments, if:
5757 (1) the person is an officer, employee, or paid
5858 consultant of a Texas trade association in the field of criminal
5959 justice or private sector prison industries; or
6060 (2) the person's spouse is an officer, manager, or paid
6161 consultant of a Texas trade association in the field of criminal
6262 justice or private sector prison industries.
6363 SECTION 3. Section 492.0031, Government Code, is amended by
6464 adding Subsections (b-1) and (d) to read as follows:
6565 (b-1) In addition to the information described by
6666 Subsection (b), the training program must provide the person with
6767 information regarding:
6868 (1) the legislative history of Subchapter C, Chapter
6969 497;
7070 (2) the history and operation of programs under that
7171 subchapter; and
7272 (3) any applicable federal law concerning the
7373 operation or certification of a program under that subchapter.
7474 (d) A person who is a member of the board on September 1,
7575 2009, shall complete the training described by Subsection (b-1) not
7676 later than January 1, 2010. This subsection expires September 1,
7777 2011.
7878 SECTION 4. Subsection (a), Section 497.004, Government
7979 Code, is amended to read as follows:
8080 (a) The board may develop by rule and the department may
8181 administer an incentive pay scale for work program participants
8282 consistent with rules adopted by the board [Private Sector Prison
8383 Industries Oversight Authority] under Subchapter C. Prison
8484 industries may be financed through contributions donated for this
8585 purpose by private businesses contracting with the department. The
8686 department shall apportion pay earned by a work program participant
8787 in the same manner as is required by rules adopted by the board
8888 [Private Sector Prison Industries Oversight Authority] under
8989 Section 497.0581.
9090 SECTION 5. Subsection (c), Section 497.006, Government
9191 Code, is amended to read as follows:
9292 (c) A contract for the provision of services under this
9393 section must:
9494 (1) be certified by the board [Private Sector Prison
9595 Industries Oversight Authority] as complying with all requirements
9696 of the Private Sector/Prison Industry Enhancement Certification
9797 Program operated by the Bureau of Justice Assistance and authorized
9898 by 18 U.S.C. Section 1761, other than a requirement relating to the
9999 payment of prevailing wages, so long as the contract requires
100100 payment of not less than the federal minimum wage;
101101 (2) be certified by the board [authority], under rules
102102 adopted under Section 497.059, that the contract would not cause
103103 the loss of existing jobs of a specific type provided by any
104104 employer [the contracting party] in this state; and
105105 (3) be approved by the board.
106106 SECTION 6. The heading to Subchapter C, Chapter 497,
107107 Government Code, is amended to read as follows:
108108 SUBCHAPTER C. PRIVATE SECTOR PRISON INDUSTRIES PROGRAMS [OVERSIGHT
109109 AUTHORITY]
110110 SECTION 7. Section 497.051, Government Code, is amended to
111111 read as follows:
112112 Sec. 497.051. PURPOSE; DEFINITIONS [DEFINITION]. (a) The
113113 board shall [Private Sector Prison Industries Oversight Authority
114114 is created to] approve, certify, and supervise [oversee] the
115115 operation of private sector prison industries programs in the
116116 department, the Texas Youth Commission, and in county correctional
117117 facilities in compliance with the federal prison enhancement
118118 certification program established under 18 U.S.C. Section 1761.
119119 The board may use board and department employees to [executive
120120 director shall] provide the [authority with] clerical and technical
121121 support [as] necessary for the board [authority] to perform the
122122 board's duties under [imposed on the authority by] this subchapter
123123 and shall ensure that the department implements the policies
124124 adopted by the board [authority] that relate to the operation of
125125 private sector prison industries programs.
126126 (a-1) The board shall ensure that private sector prison
127127 industries programs are operated under this subchapter in a manner
128128 that is designed to avoid the loss of existing jobs for employees in
129129 this state who are not incarcerated or imprisoned.
130130 (b) In this subchapter:
131131 (1) "Governmental entity" means the department, the
132132 Texas Youth Commission, and any county that operates a private
133133 sector prison industries program under this subchapter
134134 ["Authority" means the Private Sector Prison Industries Oversight
135135 Authority].
136136 (2) "Participant" means a participant in a private
137137 sector prison industries program.
138138 (c) This subchapter does not authorize the board to direct
139139 the general operations of or to govern the Texas Youth Commission or
140140 county correctional facilities in any manner not specifically
141141 described by Subsection (a).
142142 SECTION 8. Section 497.0527, Government Code, is amended to
143143 read as follows:
144144 Sec. 497.0527. COMPLAINTS. (a) The board [authority]
145145 shall maintain a file on each written complaint filed with the board
146146 in relation to a private sector prison industries program
147147 [authority]. The file must include:
148148 (1) the name of the person who filed the complaint;
149149 (2) the date the complaint is received by the board
150150 [authority];
151151 (3) the subject matter of the complaint;
152152 (4) the name of each person contacted in relation to
153153 the complaint;
154154 (5) a summary of the results of the review or
155155 investigation of the complaint; and
156156 (6) an explanation of the reason the file was closed,
157157 if the board [authority] closed the file without taking action
158158 other than to investigate the complaint.
159159 (b) The board [authority] shall provide to the person filing
160160 the complaint and to each person who is a subject of the complaint a
161161 copy of the board's [authority's] policies and procedures relating
162162 to complaint investigation and resolution.
163163 (c) The board [authority], at least quarterly until final
164164 disposition of the complaint, shall notify the person filing the
165165 complaint and each person who is a subject of the complaint of the
166166 status of the investigation, unless the notice would jeopardize an
167167 undercover investigation.
168168 SECTION 9. The heading to Section 497.056, Government Code,
169169 is amended to read as follows:
170170 Sec. 497.056. PRIVATE SECTOR PRISON INDUSTRIES [EXPANSION]
171171 ACCOUNT.
172172 SECTION 10. Subsections (b) and (c), Section 497.056,
173173 Government Code, are amended to read as follows:
174174 (b) The [To construct more facilities and increase the
175175 number of participants, the] private sector prison industry
176176 [expansion] account is created as an account in the general revenue
177177 fund. Money in the account may be appropriated only to [construct
178178 work facilities,] recruit corporations to participate as private
179179 sector industries programs[,] and pay costs of the board
180180 [authority] and department in implementing this subchapter,
181181 including the cost to the department in reimbursing board
182182 [authority] members [and the employer liaison] for expenses.
183183 (c) On each certification by the department that an amount
184184 has been deposited to the credit of the general revenue fund from
185185 deductions from participants' wages under Section 497.0581, the
186186 comptroller shall transfer an equivalent amount from the general
187187 revenue fund to the private sector prison industry [expansion]
188188 account, until the balance in the account is $1 [$2] million. The
189189 balance of the account may not exceed $1 million [On a certification
190190 occurring when the balance in the account is more than $2 million,
191191 the comptroller shall transfer to the account an amount equal to
192192 one-half of the amount deposited to the credit of the general
193193 revenue fund from deductions from participants' wages].
194194 SECTION 11. Section 497.057, Government Code, is amended to
195195 read as follows:
196196 Sec. 497.057. RULES. The board [authority] shall adopt
197197 rules as necessary to ensure that the private sector prison
198198 industries program authorized by this subchapter is in compliance
199199 with the federal prison enhancement certification program
200200 established under 18 U.S.C. Section 1761.
201201 SECTION 12. Subsection (a), Section 497.058, Government
202202 Code, is amended to read as follows:
203203 (a) The board [authority] by rule shall require that
204204 participants at each private sector prison industries program be
205205 paid not less than the prison industry enhancement certification
206206 program (PIECP) wage as computed by the Texas Workforce Commission,
207207 except that:
208208 (1) the board [authority] may permit employers to pay
209209 a participant the federal minimum wage for the two-month period
210210 beginning on the date participation begins; and
211211 (2) the minimum wage for participants committed to
212212 [under the supervision of] the Texas Youth Commission, because of
213213 the age of the participants and the extensive training component of
214214 their employment, is the federal minimum wage.
215215 SECTION 13. Section 497.0581, Government Code, is amended
216216 to read as follows:
217217 Sec. 497.0581. PARTICIPANT CONTRIBUTIONS; ASSISTANCE
218218 ACCOUNT. (a) The board [authority] by rule shall determine the
219219 amount of deductions to be taken from wages received by the
220220 participant under this subchapter and the disbursement of those
221221 deductions. The board [authority] may establish deductions for
222222 participants committed to [under the supervision of] the Texas
223223 Youth Commission that are different than deductions established for
224224 other participants in the program. In determining the amount of
225225 deductions under this section, the board [authority] shall ensure
226226 that the deductions do not place the private sector prison
227227 industries programs in the department in noncompliance with the
228228 federal prison enhancement certification program established under
229229 18 U.S.C. Section 1761.
230230 (b) The private sector prison industry crime victims
231231 assistance account is created as an account in the general revenue
232232 fund. Money in the account may be appropriated only to the board
233233 [authority] for the purpose of aiding victims of crime, under rules
234234 adopted by the board [authority].
235235 SECTION 14. The heading to Section 497.059, Government
236236 Code, is amended to read as follows:
237237 Sec. 497.059. LIMITING IMPACT OF CERTIFICATION ON
238238 NON-PRISON INDUSTRY.
239239 SECTION 15. Subsections (a) and (b), Section 497.059,
240240 Government Code, are amended to read as follows:
241241 (a) The board [authority] may not grant initial
242242 certification to a private sector prison industries program if the
243243 board [authority] determines that the operation of the program
244244 would result in the loss of existing jobs provided by any [the]
245245 employer in this state.
246246 (b) The board [authority] shall adopt rules to determine
247247 whether a program would cause the loss of existing jobs of a
248248 specific type provided by an [the] employer in this state.
249249 SECTION 16. Subchapter C, Chapter 497, Government Code, is
250250 amended by adding Sections 497.0595 and 497.0596 to read as
251251 follows:
252252 Sec. 497.0595. LIMITATION ON CONTRACTS. (a) A
253253 governmental entity may not enter into a contract or renew a
254254 contract with an employer for a private sector prison industries
255255 program under this subchapter if the board determines that the
256256 contract has negatively affected or would negatively affect any
257257 employer in this state, including through the loss of existing jobs
258258 provided by the employer to employees in this state who are not
259259 incarcerated or imprisoned.
260260 (b) The board shall adopt rules that establish a procedure
261261 to be used in making the determination described by Subsection (a).
262262 The procedure must allow an aggrieved employer in this state to
263263 submit a sworn statement to the board alleging that the employer has
264264 been or would be negatively affected by the contract to be entered
265265 into or renewed.
266266 (c) For the purposes of this section, a contract does not
267267 negatively affect an employer if the only negative effect alleged
268268 in a sworn statement by the employer is the loss of existing jobs
269269 that, at the time the sworn statement is submitted to the board, are
270270 performed by workers in a foreign country.
271271 Sec. 497.0596. NOTICE CONCERNING CERTAIN CONTRACTS.
272272 (a) Not later than the 60th day before the date a governmental
273273 entity intends to enter into a contract with an employer for a
274274 private sector prison industries program under this subchapter, the
275275 governmental entity shall notify:
276276 (1) the state senator and state representative in
277277 whose district the program covered by the contract is or will be
278278 located;
279279 (2) the executive heads of the Texas AFL-CIO, the
280280 Texas Association of Manufacturers, the National Federation of
281281 Independent Business/Texas, the Texas Association of Business, and
282282 the Texas Association of Workforce Boards;
283283 (3) the chamber of commerce in any municipality or
284284 county in which the program covered by the contract is or will be
285285 located; and
286286 (4) any employer that employs persons in this state
287287 who are not incarcerated or imprisoned and who, as determined under
288288 rules adopted by the Texas Workforce Commission to implement this
289289 subdivision:
290290 (A) perform work in the same job descriptions as
291291 participants in the program covered by the contract will perform;
292292 or
293293 (B) are otherwise engaged in the manufacture of
294294 the same or a substantially similar product as will be manufactured
295295 under the contract.
296296 (b) The notice required by Subsection (a) must include a
297297 specific description, in plain language and in an easily readable
298298 and understandable format, of any product that will be manufactured
299299 under the contract.
300300 (c) A governmental entity that provides notice under
301301 Subsection (a) may charge the employer with whom the governmental
302302 entity intends to enter into the contract for the cost of providing
303303 that notice.
304304 SECTION 17. Sections 497.060, 497.061, and 497.062,
305305 Government Code, are amended to read as follows:
306306 Sec. 497.060. WORKERS' COMPENSATION. The board [authority]
307307 by rule shall require private sector prison industries program
308308 employers to meet or exceed all federal requirements for providing
309309 compensation to participants injured while working.
310310 Sec. 497.061. RECIDIVISM STUDIES. The board [authority,
311311 with the cooperation of the Criminal Justice Policy Council,] shall
312312 gather data to determine whether participation in a private sector
313313 prison industries program is a factor that reduces recidivism among
314314 participants.
315315 Sec. 497.062. LIMITATION ON NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS AND COST
316316 ACCOUNTING CENTERS[; GOALS]. (a) The board [authority] may
317317 certify [any number of] private sector prison industries programs
318318 that meet or exceed the requirements of federal law and the rules of
319319 the board. Except as provided by Subsection (b), the board may not
320320 allow [authority, but in no event may the authority permit] more
321321 than 750 [5,000] participants in the program at any one time or
322322 authorize the operation of more than 11 cost accounting centers at
323323 any one time.
324324 (b) The board may allow more than 750 participants in the
325325 program at one time on a temporary basis if:
326326 (1) an employer that operates a private sector prison
327327 industries program requests in writing that the board temporarily
328328 allow more than 750 participants in the program; and
329329 (2) the board determines that there is good cause to
330330 temporarily allow more than 750 participants in the program
331331 [authority shall establish as a goal that the program have at least
332332 1,800 participants by January 1, 2006].
333333 SECTION 18. Subchapter C, Chapter 497, Government Code, is
334334 amended by adding Sections 497.063 and 497.064 to read as follows:
335335 Sec. 497.063. CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS. (a) The board shall
336336 adopt rules requiring a contract entered into by a governmental
337337 entity concerning a private sector prison industries program
338338 operated under this subchapter to:
339339 (1) include specific job descriptions for any work
340340 that will be performed by participants under the contract;
341341 (2) include a specific description, in plain language
342342 and in an easily readable and understandable format, of any product
343343 that will be manufactured under the contract; and
344344 (3) charge a private sector prison industries employer
345345 or other participating entity the fair market value for the lease of
346346 any property owned by the governmental entity and leased to the
347347 employer or entity under the contract.
348348 (b) For the purposes of Subsection (a), "fair market value"
349349 means an amount or rate that is equal to or greater than the average
350350 amount or rate paid by the state for the lease of substantially
351351 similar property.
352352 Sec. 497.064. AVAILABILITY OF CERTAIN INFORMATION ON
353353 INTERNET. The board shall make the following information available
354354 on any publicly accessible Internet website that is maintained by
355355 the board and contains any information concerning the private
356356 sector prison industries programs operated under this subchapter:
357357 (1) a copy of each current contract entered into by a
358358 governmental entity;
359359 (2) a list of hourly wages paid to participants under
360360 each contract described by Subdivision (1); and
361361 (3) minutes of any meeting of the board in which the
362362 board discusses or takes action concerning:
363363 (A) the board's powers and duties under this
364364 subchapter; or
365365 (B) one or more private sector prison industries
366366 programs operated under this subchapter.
367367 SECTION 19. Subchapter A, Chapter 302, Labor Code, is
368368 amended by adding Section 302.016 to read as follows:
369369 Sec. 302.016. RULES REGARDING PRIVATE SECTOR PRISON
370370 INDUSTRIES PROGRAMS. The commission shall adopt rules necessary to
371371 implement Section 497.0596(a)(4), Government Code.
372372 SECTION 20. Sections 497.009, 497.052, 497.0521, 497.0522,
373373 497.0523, 497.0524, 497.0525, 497.0526, 497.053, 497.054, and
374374 497.055, Government Code, are repealed.
375375 SECTION 21. (a) On the date on which the Texas Board of
376376 Criminal Justice is designated as the certificate holder for this
377377 state by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Private Sector
378378 Prison Industries Oversight Authority is abolished and all powers,
379379 duties, obligations, rights, contracts, appropriations, records,
380380 real or personal property, and personnel of the Private Sector
381381 Prison Industries Oversight Authority are transferred to the Texas
382382 Board of Criminal Justice in accordance with Subchapter C, Chapter
383383 497, Government Code, as amended by this Act. Notwithstanding any
384384 other provision of this Act, before the date on which the Texas
385385 Board of Criminal Justice is designated as the certificate holder
386386 for this state by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Private
387387 Sector Prison Industries Oversight Authority shall continue to
388388 fulfill all duties and exercise all powers given to the authority
389389 under Subchapter C, Chapter 497, Government Code, as that law
390390 existed immediately before the effective date of this Act, and the
391391 former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
392392 (b) A rule, policy, procedure, or decision of the Private
393393 Sector Prison Industries Oversight Authority continues in effect as
394394 a rule, policy, procedure, or decision of the Texas Board of
395395 Criminal Justice until repealed or otherwise superseded by an act
396396 of the board.
397397 (c) On or after the date on which the Texas Board of Criminal
398398 Justice is designated as the certificate holder for this state by
399399 the Bureau of Justice Assistance, a reference in law to the Private
400400 Sector Prison Industries Oversight Authority means the Texas Board
401401 of Criminal Justice.
402402 SECTION 22. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (d),
403403 Section 492.0031, Government Code, as added by this Act, Subsection
404404 (c), Section 492.003, Governmental Code, as amended by this Act,
405405 and Subsection (b-1), Section 492.0031, Government Code, as added
406406 by this Act, apply only to a member of the Texas Board of Criminal
407407 Justice who is appointed on or after the effective date of this Act.
408408 Except as provided by Subsection (d), Section 492.0031, Government
409409 Code, as added by this Act, a member who is appointed to the board
410410 before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in
411411 effect when the member was appointed, and the former law is
412412 continued in effect for that purpose.
413413 (b) As soon as practicable after the effective date of this
414414 Act and not later than January 1, 2010, the Texas Workforce
415415 Commission shall adopt rules as required by Section 302.016, Labor
416416 Code, as added by this Act.
417417 (c) Subsection (a-1), Section 497.051, Government Code, as
418418 added by this Act, applies only to the operation of a private sector
419419 prison industries program that is certified on or after the
420420 effective date of this Act or to a private sector prison industries
421421 program that was certified before the effective date of this Act but
422422 is not in operation on the effective date of this Act. Subsection
423423 (a-1), Section 497.051, Government Code, as added by this Act, does
424424 not apply to the operation of a private sector prison industries
425425 program that was certified before the effective date of this Act and
426426 is in operation on the effective date of this Act. The operation of
427427 that program is governed by the law in effect when the program was
428428 certified, and the former law is continued in effect for that
429429 purpose.
430430 (d) Section 497.059, Government Code, as amended by this
431431 Act, applies only to the certification of a private sector prison
432432 industries program that occurs on or after the effective date of
433433 this Act. The certification of a private sector prison industries
434434 program that occurs before the effective date of this Act is
435435 governed by the law in effect when the program was certified, and
436436 the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
437437 (e) Sections 497.0595 and 497.0596, Government Code, as
438438 added by this Act, apply only to a contract that is entered into or
439439 renewed in connection with a private sector prison industries
440440 program that is certified on or after the effective date of this Act
441441 or a private sector prison industries program that was certified
442442 before the effective date of this Act but is not in operation on the
443443 effective date of this Act. A contract that is entered into or
444444 renewed in connection with a private sector prison industries
445445 program that was certified before the effective date of this Act and
446446 is in operation on the effective date of this Act is governed by the
447447 law in effect when the program was certified, and the former law is
448448 continued in effect for that purpose.
449449 (f) A rule adopted by the Texas Board of Criminal Justice
450450 under Section 497.063, Government Code, as added by this Act,
451451 applies only to a contract in connection with a private sector
452452 prison industries program that is certified on or after the
453453 effective date of this Act or to a contract in connection with a
454454 private sector prison industries program that was certified before
455455 the effective date of this Act but is not in operation on the
456456 effective date of this Act.
457457 SECTION 23. This Act takes effect immediately if it
458458 receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each
459459 house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.
460460 If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate
461461 effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
462462 * * * * *