By: Canales H.B. No. 88
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to climate control requirements at facilities operated by
the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 501, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 501.028 to read as follows:
Sec. 501.028. CLIMATE CONTROL REQUIREMENTS AT DEPARTMENT
FACILITIES. (a) In this section, "required temperature-controlled
area" means the following areas of a facility operated by the
department:
(1) hospitals;
(2) visiting areas;
(3) housing or dormitory areas;
(4) trustee areas;
(5) areas used for medical treatment or care,
including areas used for dispensing medication to inmates;
(6) kitchens or dining areas;
(7) food preparation areas;
(8) community areas, including dayrooms;
(9) laundry areas;
(10) areas used for work stations;
(11) indoor recreational areas, including gymnasiums;
(12) restroom and shower areas and other areas related
to inmate hygiene;
(13) administrative areas;
(14) correctional officer stations, including guard
post areas;
(15) commissary areas;
(16) areas used for programmatic, educational, or
vocational purposes;
(17) chapels or churches;
(18) libraries; and
(19) maintenance areas.
(b) The department shall ensure that:
(1) the temperature in each required
temperature-controlled area is maintained at not less than 65
degrees Fahrenheit or more than 85 degrees Fahrenheit; and
(2) each climate control system in use at a facility
operated by the department includes virus-mitigation technology,
such as air purifiers, for the purpose of reducing the spread of
airborne viruses.
SECTION 2. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is not
required to comply with the requirements of Section 501.028,
Government Code, as added by this Act, until September 1, 2022.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the
legislative session.