| 4 | 5 | | |
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| 5 | 6 | | |
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| 6 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 7 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 8 | 9 | | relating to the reentry and reintegration programs provided by the |
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| 9 | 10 | | Texas Department of Criminal Justice. |
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| 10 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Sections 501.092(b) and (g), Government Code, |
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| 12 | 13 | | are amended to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 14 | | (b) The reentry and reintegration plan adopted under this |
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| 14 | 15 | | section must: |
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| 15 | 16 | | (1) incorporate the use of the risk and needs |
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| 16 | 17 | | assessment instrument adopted under Section 501.0921; |
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| 17 | 18 | | (2) provide for programs that address the assessed |
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| 18 | 19 | | needs of offenders and require the programs to begin as soon as |
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| 19 | 20 | | practicable after the offender is taken into the custody of the |
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| 20 | 21 | | department; |
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| 21 | 22 | | (3) provide for a comprehensive network of transition |
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| 22 | 23 | | programs to address the needs of offenders released or discharged |
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| 23 | 24 | | from a correctional facility, including following the completion of |
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| 24 | 25 | | a period of parole or mandatory supervision; |
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| 25 | 26 | | (4) identify and define the transition services that |
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| 26 | 27 | | are to be provided by the department and which offenders are |
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| 27 | 28 | | eligible for those services; |
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| 28 | 29 | | (5) coordinate the provision of reentry and |
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| 29 | 30 | | reintegration services provided to offenders through state-funded |
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| 30 | 31 | | and volunteer programs across divisions of the department to: |
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| 31 | 32 | | (A) target eligible offenders efficiently; and |
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| 32 | 33 | | (B) ensure maximum use of existing facilities, |
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| 33 | 34 | | personnel, equipment, supplies, and other resources; |
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| 34 | 35 | | (6) provide for collecting and maintaining data |
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| 35 | 36 | | regarding the number of offenders who received reentry and |
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| 36 | 37 | | reintegration services and the number of offenders who were |
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| 37 | 38 | | eligible for but did not receive those services, including |
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| 38 | 39 | | offenders who did not participate in those services; |
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| 39 | 40 | | (7) provide for evaluating the effectiveness of the |
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| 40 | 41 | | reentry and reintegration services provided to offenders by |
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| 41 | 42 | | collecting, maintaining, and reporting outcome information, |
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| 42 | 43 | | including recidivism data as applicable; |
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| 43 | 44 | | (8) identify providers of existing local programs and |
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| 44 | 45 | | transitional services with whom the department may contract under |
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| 45 | 46 | | Section 495.028 to implement the reentry and reintegration plan; |
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| 46 | 47 | | and |
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| 47 | 48 | | (9) subject to Subsection (f), provide for the sharing |
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| 48 | 49 | | of information between local coordinators, persons with whom the |
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| 49 | 50 | | department contracts under Section 495.028, and other providers of |
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| 50 | 51 | | services as necessary to adequately assess and address the needs of |
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| 51 | 52 | | each offender. |
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| 52 | 53 | | (g) The programs provided under Subsections (b)(2) and (3) |
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| 53 | 54 | | must: |
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| 54 | 55 | | (1) be implemented by highly skilled staff who are |
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| 55 | 56 | | experienced in working with inmate reentry and reintegration |
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| 56 | 57 | | programs; |
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| 57 | 58 | | (2) provide offenders with: |
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| 58 | 59 | | (A) individualized case management and a full |
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| 59 | 60 | | continuum of care; |
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| 60 | 61 | | (B) life-skills training, including information |
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| 61 | 62 | | about: |
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| 62 | 63 | | (i) budgeting and [,] money management; |
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| 63 | 64 | | (ii) [,] nutrition [,] and exercise; and |
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| 64 | 65 | | (iii) the development of prosocial behavior |
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| 65 | 66 | | and positive relationships; |
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| 66 | 67 | | (C) education and, if an offender has a learning |
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| 67 | 68 | | disability, special education; and |
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| 68 | 69 | | (D) spiritual guidance, if requested by the |
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| 69 | 70 | | offender [employment training; |
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| 70 | 71 | | [(E) appropriate treatment programs, including |
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| 71 | 72 | | substance abuse and mental health treatment programs; and |
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| 72 | 73 | | [(F) parenting and relationship building |
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| 73 | 74 | | classes]; and |
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| 74 | 75 | | (3) be designed to build for former offenders |
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| 75 | 76 | | post-release and post-discharge support from the community into |
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| 76 | 77 | | which an offender is released or discharged, including support from |
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| 77 | 78 | | agencies and organizations within that community. |
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| 78 | 79 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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