85R15773 MAW-D
By: González of El Paso H.B. No. 1041
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the review of certain privately operated residential
facilities for persons released on parole or to mandatory
supervision.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act:
(1) "Department" means the Texas Department of
Criminal Justice.
(2) "Releasee" means a person released on parole or to
mandatory supervision.
SECTION 2. REVIEW OF RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES. (a) The
department shall review instances in which a releasee has absconded
from supervision while being housed in a facility that is:
(1) operated under contract with the department; and
(2) located in a county that has a population of
800,000 or more and is located on the international border.
(b) The department shall analyze the factors that
contribute to releasees absconding, including to what extent a rate
of absconsion from a particular facility that exceeds the statewide
average for all facilities is attributable to the types of
releasees residing in the facility or to issues related to the staff
of the facility.
(c) The department shall make recommendations regarding:
(1) improvements to the procedures used by the
department to:
(A) assess whether a releasee is likely to
abscond from supervision; and
(B) identify the appropriate residence for a
releasee; and
(2) legislative changes to the department's
contracting powers, including any provisions to:
(A) determine the most suitable private vendors
with which to contract for the housing, supervision, and
programmatic support of releasees; and
(B) establish minimum requirements for the
staffing of any facility housing releasees under a contract with
the department.
SECTION 3. REPORT. Not later than December 1, 2018, the
department shall report the results of the review and analysis
required by Section 2 of this Act and make recommendations to the
governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of
representatives, and the standing legislative committees with
primary jurisdiction over the department.
SECTION 4. ASSISTANCE BY BOARD OF PARDONS AND PAROLES. On
request of the department, the Board of Pardons and Paroles shall
provide information to the department or otherwise assist the
department in conducting the review and preparing the report
required by this Act.
SECTION 5. EXPIRATION. This Act expires June 1, 2019.
SECTION 6. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September
1, 2017.