| 1 | 1 | | 84R11001 JRR-F |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | By: White of Tyler H.B. No. 2448 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | relating to the creation of an advisory committee to examine the |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | state jail system within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | (1) "Department" means the Texas Department of |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | Criminal Justice. |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | (2) "State jail" means a state jail felony facility |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | operated by or under contract with the department under Section |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | 507.001, Government Code. |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | SECTION 2. VOLUNTARY STATE JAIL ADVISORY COMMITTEE. Not |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | later than December 1, 2015, the department shall convene an |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | advisory committee composed of volunteers to review the problems |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | facing the state jail system and provide recommendations to guide |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | state criminal justice policies and practices relating to state |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | jails. |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | SECTION 3. MEMBERS; PRESIDING OFFICER. (a) In recruiting |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | volunteers to serve on the advisory committee, the department shall |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | include members who are interested parties, including: |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | (1) representatives of the department; |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | (2) representatives of community supervision and |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | corrections departments established under Chapter 76, Government |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | Code; |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | (3) district or county attorneys in this state; |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | (4) criminal defense attorneys; |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | (5) individuals who have expertise in the state jail |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | system and are members of an advocacy or civil rights organization; |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | (6) individuals who have expertise in issues related |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | to criminal justice and criminal law; |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | (7) individuals who have expertise in issues related |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | to substance abuse and mental health; |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | (8) individuals who were formerly incarcerated in the |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | state jail system; and |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | (9) any other individuals or organizations who may be |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | helpful in addressing the problems facing the state jail system. |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | (b) The advisory committee shall designate one of the |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | members as presiding officer of the committee. |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | SECTION 4. REPORT. (a) Not later than August 1, 2016, the |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | advisory committee shall submit to the department, including the |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | community justice assistance division of the department, the |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | representatives, and the standing committees in the senate and |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | house of representatives primarily responsible for criminal |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | justice issues a report containing the recommendations developed |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | under Section 2 of this Act. |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | (b) The department shall make the report submitted under |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | Subsection (a) of this section available to the public and shall |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | publish the report on its Internet website. |
|---|
| 54 | 54 | | SECTION 5. COMPENSATION. Members of the advisory committee |
|---|
| 55 | 55 | | serve without compensation and are not entitled to reimbursement |
|---|
| 56 | 56 | | for expenses. |
|---|
| 57 | 57 | | SECTION 6. APPLICATION OF LAWS GOVERNING ADVISORY |
|---|
| 58 | 58 | | COMMITTEES. The advisory committee is not subject to Chapter 2110, |
|---|
| 59 | 59 | | Government Code. |
|---|
| 60 | 60 | | SECTION 7. EXPIRATION DATE. The advisory committee is |
|---|
| 61 | 61 | | abolished and this Act expires January 1, 2017. |
|---|
| 62 | 62 | | SECTION 8. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect |
|---|
| 63 | 63 | | immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members |
|---|
| 64 | 64 | | elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas |
|---|
| 65 | 65 | | Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for |
|---|
| 66 | 66 | | immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
|---|