By: Swanson (Senate Sponsor - Flores) H.B. No. 2708
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 1, 2023;
May 1, 2023, read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal
Justice; May 11, 2023, reported favorably by the following vote:
Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 11, 2023, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to visitation policies for inmates and state jail felony
defendants.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 501.010, Government Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (b-2) to read as follows:
(b-2) Regardless of the implementation of video visitation
or visitation by other electronic means, the uniform visitation
policy must allow in-person visitation for eligible inmates,
provided that the policy may allow the temporary suspension of
in-person visitation for a health or safety emergency.
SECTION 2. Section 507.030, Government Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
(c) Regardless of the implementation of video visitation or
visitation by other electronic means, the visitation policy must
allow in-person visitation for defendants who are eligible to
receive visitors, provided that the policy may allow the temporary
suspension of in-person visitation for a health or safety
emergency.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
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