| 3 | 5 | | |
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| 4 | 6 | | |
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| 5 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 9 | | relating to the establishment of a task force to conduct a |
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| 8 | 10 | | comprehensive study on best practice standards for the confinement |
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| 9 | 11 | | of pregnant prisoners in county jails. |
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| 10 | 12 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 13 | | SECTION 1. (a) A task force is established to conduct a |
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| 12 | 14 | | comprehensive study on best practice standards for the confinement |
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| 13 | 15 | | of pregnant prisoners in county jails. The study must identify and |
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| 14 | 16 | | make recommendations regarding the following with respect to the |
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| 15 | 17 | | confinement of pregnant prisoners: |
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| 16 | 18 | | (1) current policies and procedures; |
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| 17 | 19 | | (2) barriers to accommodations and justice; |
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| 18 | 20 | | (3) best practices used in other states; |
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| 19 | 21 | | (4) policies that would improve jail standards; and |
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| 20 | 22 | | (5) any other issue the task force considers |
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| 21 | 23 | | appropriate. |
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| 22 | 24 | | (b) The Commission on Jail Standards shall appoint the |
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| 23 | 25 | | members of the task force. The task force must include at least: |
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| 24 | 26 | | (1) one representative of the Commission on Jail |
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| 25 | 27 | | Standards; |
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| 26 | 28 | | (2) one representative of a statewide organization |
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| 27 | 29 | | that advocates for incarcerated women; |
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| 28 | 30 | | (3) one representative of a statewide organization |
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| 29 | 31 | | that represents corrections professionals; |
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| 30 | 32 | | (4) one representative of a county jail; |
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| 31 | 33 | | (5) one member who is a mental health professional; |
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| 32 | 34 | | (6) one member who is an obstetrician or gynecologist; |
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| 33 | 35 | | (7) one member who is a doula providing culturally |
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| 34 | 36 | | responsive care; |
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| 35 | 37 | | (8) one member who was pregnant while incarcerated; |
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| 36 | 38 | | and |
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| 37 | 39 | | (9) one member who is a certified reentry peer support |
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| 38 | 40 | | specialist. |
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| 39 | 41 | | (c) The member appointed under Subsection (b)(1) of this |
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| 40 | 42 | | section serves as the presiding officer of the task force. |
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| 41 | 43 | | (d) The task force shall prepare a written report that |
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| 42 | 44 | | includes: |
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| 43 | 45 | | (1) a description of the activities of the task force; |
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| 44 | 46 | | (2) the findings and recommendations of the task |
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| 45 | 47 | | force; |
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| 46 | 48 | | (3) a plan for how the best practice standards |
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| 47 | 49 | | identified by the task force can be implemented statewide; |
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| 48 | 50 | | (4) any proposals for legislation; and |
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| 49 | 51 | | (5) any other matter the task force considers |
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| 50 | 52 | | appropriate. |
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| 51 | 53 | | (e) Not later than December 1, 2022, the task force shall |
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| 52 | 54 | | submit the report prepared under this section to: |
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| 53 | 55 | | (1) the governor; |
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| 54 | 56 | | (2) the lieutenant governor; |
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| 55 | 57 | | (3) the speaker of the house of representatives; and |
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| 56 | 58 | | (4) the presiding officers of the standing committees |
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| 57 | 59 | | of the senate and house of representatives having primary |
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| 58 | 60 | | jurisdiction over issues relating to criminal justice. |
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| 59 | 61 | | (f) The Commission on Jail Standards shall make the report |
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| 60 | 62 | | available to the public on the commission's Internet website. |
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| 61 | 63 | | (g) The task force is abolished and this Act expires |
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| 62 | 64 | | September 1, 2023. |
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| 63 | 65 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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