88R7417 MCF-F
By: Allen H.B. No. 1539
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to program accessibility for female inmates of the Texas
Department of Criminal Justice.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 501.027, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 501.027. ACCESS TO PROGRAMS BY FEMALE INMATES. (a)
The department shall develop and implement policies that increase
and promote a female inmate's access to programs, including
self-study programs on parenting, healing from trauma, and
financial literacy, offered to inmates in the custody of the
department, including programs offered to defendants confined in
state jail felony facilities [including educational, vocational,
substance use treatment, rehabilitation, life skills training, and
prerelease programs]. The department may not reduce or limit a male
inmate's access to a program to meet the requirements of this
section.
(b) The department shall develop and implement policies
that:
(1) require each facility to make the programs
described by Subsection (a) available and accessible to a female
inmate not later than the 45th day after the date the inmate arrives
at the facility; and
(2) ensure female inmates have the ability to
participate in the self-study programs described by Subsection (a),
regardless of the inmate's offense, sentence, mental health record,
or behavior while confined.
(c) Not later than December 31 of each year, the department
shall:
(1) prepare and submit to the governor, the lieutenant
governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, each
standing committee of the legislature having primary jurisdiction
over the department, and the reentry task force described by
Section 501.098 a written report that includes:
(A) a description of any department policies that
were created, modified, or eliminated during the preceding year to
meet the requirements of this section; and
(B) a list of programs, including self-study
programs, available to female inmates in the custody of the
department during the preceding year; and
(2) publish the report on the department's Internet
website.
SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date
of this Act, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shall develop
and implement the policies necessary to implement the changes in
law made by this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.