Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas House Bill HB3227 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	H.B. No. 3227
	1	+	By: Howard, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Huffman) H.B. No. 3227
	2	+	(In the Senate - Received from the House April 23, 2019;
	3	+	April 24, 2019, read first time and referred to Committee on
	4	+	Criminal Justice; May 16, 2019, reported adversely, with favorable
	5	+	Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0;
	6	+	May 16, 2019, sent to printer.)
	7	+	Click here to see the committee vote
	8	+	COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 3227 By: Whitmire
2	9
3	10
	11	+	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
4	12		AN ACT
5	13		relating to the availability of and access to certain programs and
6	14		services for persons in the custody of the Texas Department of
7	15		Criminal Justice.
8	16		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	17		SECTION 1. Chapter 493, Government Code, is amended by
10	18		adding Section 493.032 to read as follows:
11	19		Sec. 493.032. AVAILABILITY OF PEER SUPPORT SERVICES. (a)
12	20		The department shall adopt a policy to increase the availability of
13	21		formal and informal peer support services, including certified peer
14	22		specialist services, to a person confined in a facility operated by
15	23		or under contract with the department, including a state jail
16	24		felony facility, substance abuse felony punishment facility, or
17	25		intermediate sanction facility.
18	26		(b) The policy adopted under Subsection (a) must:
19	27		(1) allow for persons who have previously been
20	28		convicted of an offense, including releasees on parole or mandatory
21	29		supervision and defendants on community supervision, to serve as
22	30		certified peer specialists in a facility described by Subsection
23	31		(a);
24	32		(2) specify the conditions under which a person
25	33		described by Subdivision (1) may serve as a certified peer
26	34		specialist; and
27	35		(3) allow for persons confined in a facility described
28	36		by Subsection (a) to serve in a peer support role, provided that the
29	37		persons are trained and supervised by a community-based
30	38		organization described by Subsection (c).
31	39		(c) In implementing the policy adopted under Subsection
32	40		(a), the department shall:
33	41		(1) collaborate with community-based organizations
34	42		that provide peer specialist training, including training in any of
35	43		the following peer support specialties:
36	44		(A) certified peer specialist;
37	45		(B) certified peer reentry specialist;
38	46		(C) certified peer recovery specialist; or
39	47		(D) any other peer support specialty recognized
40	48		by the Health and Human Services Commission; and
41	49		(2) encourage and assist persons described by
42	50		Subsection (b)(3), with particular emphasis on persons who have
43	51		been involved with programs or services relating to substance abuse
44	52		or behavioral health, to participate in training described by
45	53		Subdivision (1).
46	54		SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 501, Government Code, is
47	55		amended by adding Section 501.026 to read as follows:
48	56		Sec. 501.026. ACCESS TO PROGRAMS BY FEMALE INMATES. (a)
49	57		The department shall develop and implement policies that increase
50	58		and promote a female inmate's access to programs offered to inmates
51	59		in the custody of the department, including educational,
52	60		vocational, substance use treatment, rehabilitation, life skills
53	61		training, and prerelease programs. The department may not reduce
54	62		or limit a male inmate's access to a program to meet the
55	63		requirements of this section.
56	64		(b) Not later than December 31 of each year, the department
57	65		shall:
58	66		(1) prepare and submit to the governor, the lieutenant
59	67		governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, each
60	68		standing committee of the legislature having primary jurisdiction
61	69		over the department, and the reentry task force described by
62	70		Section 501.098 a written report that includes:
63	71		(A) a description of any department policies that
64	72		were created, modified, or eliminated during the preceding year to
65	73		meet the requirements of this section; and
66	74		(B) a list of programs available to female
67	75		inmates in the custody of the department during the preceding year;
68	76		and
69	77		(2) publish the report on the department's Internet
70	78		website.
71	79		SECTION 3. Not later than September 1, 2020, the Texas
72	80		Department of Criminal Justice shall adopt and implement the policy
73	81		required by Section 493.032, Government Code, as added by this Act.
74	82		SECTION 4. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective
75	83		date of this Act, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shall
76	84		develop and implement the policies required by Section 501.026,
77	85		Government Code, as added by this Act.
78	86		(b) The Texas Department of Criminal Justice shall submit
79	87		the first report required by Section 501.026, Government Code, as
80	88		added by this Act, not later than December 31, 2020.
81	89		SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
82		-	______________________________ ______________________________
83		-	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
84		-	I certify that H.B. No. 3227 was passed by the House on April
85		-	17, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 143, Nays 0, 1 present, not
86		-	voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
87		-	No. 3227 on May 24, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 140, Nays 2,
88		-	2 present, not voting.
89		-	______________________________
90		-	Chief Clerk of the House
91		-	I certify that H.B. No. 3227 was passed by the Senate, with
92		-	amendments, on May 22, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays
93		-	0.
94		-	______________________________
95		-	Secretary of the Senate
96		-	APPROVED: __________________
97		-	Date
98		-	__________________
99		-	Governor
	90	+	* * * * *