By: Hegar S.B. No. 1847
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the provision of services to a wrongfully imprisoned
person who is discharged from a correctional facility.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 501, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 501.091 to read as follows:
Sec. 501.091. PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR WRONGFULLY
IMPRISONED PERSONS WHO ARE DISCHARGED. (a) In this section,
"wrongfully imprisoned person" means a person who:
(1) has served in whole or in part a sentence in a
facility operated by or under contract with the department; and
(2) has:
(A) received a pardon for innocence for the crime
for which the person was sentenced; or
(B) otherwise been granted relief on the basis of
actual innocence of the crime for which the person was sentenced.
(b) The department shall ensure that the same programs and
services that are available to or in which participation is
mandatory for an inmate released on parole or to mandatory
supervision, including programs and services offered or required
under Subchapter F or G of Chapter 508, are available to a
wrongfully imprisoned person when the person is discharged from the
department.
(c) The executive director of the department may:
(1) adopt rules as necessary to implement this
section; and
(2) direct the director of the Texas Correctional
Office on Offenders with Medical or Mental Impairments to take any
actions necessary to implement this section.
SECTION 2. 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.