| 1 | 1 | | 88R20051 MCF-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: J. Johnson of Harris, Romero, Jr. H.B. No. 1435 |
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| 3 | 3 | | Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1435: |
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| 4 | 4 | | By: Tinderholt C.S.H.B. No. 1435 |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to family liaison officers in county jails. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 511, Government Code, is amended by |
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| 12 | 12 | | adding Section 511.024 to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 511.024. FAMILY LIAISON OFFICER. (a) The commission |
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| 14 | 14 | | shall require the sheriff of a county to designate at least one |
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| 15 | 15 | | employee at the county jail to serve as a family liaison officer for |
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| 16 | 16 | | the jail to facilitate communication between prisoners and their |
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| 17 | 17 | | families. |
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| 18 | 18 | | (b) In making a designation under Subsection (a), the |
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| 19 | 19 | | sheriff shall give preference to current employees with experience |
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| 20 | 20 | | in social work, psychology, or a related field. |
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| 21 | 21 | | (c) A family liaison officer shall: |
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| 22 | 22 | | (1) on request, provide prisoners' families with |
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| 23 | 23 | | information about the classification status, confinement status, |
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| 24 | 24 | | and health of prisoners at the county jail; |
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| 25 | 25 | | (2) notify prisoners' families within a reasonable |
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| 26 | 26 | | time about emergencies involving prisoners, such as a medical |
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| 27 | 27 | | emergency or death; and |
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| 28 | 28 | | (3) notify prisoners within a reasonable time about |
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| 29 | 29 | | emergencies involving their families, such as a medical emergency |
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| 30 | 30 | | or death in the family, and provide prisoners with other necessary |
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| 31 | 31 | | information relating to their families. |
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| 32 | 32 | | (d) A family liaison officer may not disclose information |
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| 33 | 33 | | under Subsection (c) about a prisoner's health unless the prisoner |
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| 34 | 34 | | has authorized the release of the prisoner's medical information to |
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| 35 | 35 | | that family member. |
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| 36 | 36 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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