BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 2448 By: White, James Corrections Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Recent stakeholders and other interested parties within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice have noted the need to address evolving issues within state jail facilities. H.B. 2448 seeks to provide a means to address those issues. CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS H.B. 2448 requires the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), not later than December 1, 2015, to convene a voluntary state jail advisory committee composed of volunteers to review the problems facing the state jail system and to provide recommendations to guide state criminal justice policies and practices relating to state jails operated by or under contract with TDCJ. The bill requires the voluntary state jail advisory committee, not later than August 1, 2016, to submit a report containing the recommendations to TDCJ, including the community justice assistance division of TDCJ, the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the standing committees in the senate and house of representatives primarily responsible for criminal justice issues. The bill requires TDCJ to make the report available to the public and to publish the report on its website. H.B. 2448 requires TDCJ, in recruiting volunteers to serve on the advisory committee, to include members who are interested parties, including representatives of TDCJ and community supervision and corrections departments, specified attorneys, certain individuals who have expertise in the state jail system or in issues related to criminal justice and criminal law or substance abuse and mental health, individuals who were formerly incarcerated in the state jail system, and any other individuals or organizations who may be helpful in addressing the problems facing the state jail system. The bill requires the advisory committee to designate a presiding officer, establishes that committee members serve without compensation and are not entitled to reimbursement for expenses, and exempts the advisory committee from Government Code provisions relating to state agency advisory committees. The bill abolishes the advisory committee and sets its provisions to expire on January 1, 2017. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2015.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
H.B. 2448
By: White, James
Corrections
Committee Report (Unamended)
H.B. 2448
By: White, James
Corrections
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Recent stakeholders and other interested parties within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice have noted the need to address evolving issues within state jail facilities. H.B. 2448 seeks to provide a means to address those issues.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS H.B. 2448 requires the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), not later than December 1, 2015, to convene a voluntary state jail advisory committee composed of volunteers to review the problems facing the state jail system and to provide recommendations to guide state criminal justice policies and practices relating to state jails operated by or under contract with TDCJ. The bill requires the voluntary state jail advisory committee, not later than August 1, 2016, to submit a report containing the recommendations to TDCJ, including the community justice assistance division of TDCJ, the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the standing committees in the senate and house of representatives primarily responsible for criminal justice issues. The bill requires TDCJ to make the report available to the public and to publish the report on its website. H.B. 2448 requires TDCJ, in recruiting volunteers to serve on the advisory committee, to include members who are interested parties, including representatives of TDCJ and community supervision and corrections departments, specified attorneys, certain individuals who have expertise in the state jail system or in issues related to criminal justice and criminal law or substance abuse and mental health, individuals who were formerly incarcerated in the state jail system, and any other individuals or organizations who may be helpful in addressing the problems facing the state jail system. The bill requires the advisory committee to designate a presiding officer, establishes that committee members serve without compensation and are not entitled to reimbursement for expenses, and exempts the advisory committee from Government Code provisions relating to state agency advisory committees. The bill abolishes the advisory committee and sets its provisions to expire on January 1, 2017.
EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2015.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Recent stakeholders and other interested parties within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice have noted the need to address evolving issues within state jail facilities. H.B. 2448 seeks to provide a means to address those issues.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
H.B. 2448 requires the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), not later than December 1, 2015, to convene a voluntary state jail advisory committee composed of volunteers to review the problems facing the state jail system and to provide recommendations to guide state criminal justice policies and practices relating to state jails operated by or under contract with TDCJ. The bill requires the voluntary state jail advisory committee, not later than August 1, 2016, to submit a report containing the recommendations to TDCJ, including the community justice assistance division of TDCJ, the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the standing committees in the senate and house of representatives primarily responsible for criminal justice issues. The bill requires TDCJ to make the report available to the public and to publish the report on its website.
H.B. 2448 requires TDCJ, in recruiting volunteers to serve on the advisory committee, to include members who are interested parties, including representatives of TDCJ and community supervision and corrections departments, specified attorneys, certain individuals who have expertise in the state jail system or in issues related to criminal justice and criminal law or substance abuse and mental health, individuals who were formerly incarcerated in the state jail system, and any other individuals or organizations who may be helpful in addressing the problems facing the state jail system. The bill requires the advisory committee to designate a presiding officer, establishes that committee members serve without compensation and are not entitled to reimbursement for expenses, and exempts the advisory committee from Government Code provisions relating to state agency advisory committees. The bill abolishes the advisory committee and sets its provisions to expire on January 1, 2017.
EFFECTIVE DATE
On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2015.