| 1 | 1 | | By: Jones of Harris H.B. No. 4929 |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | relating to minimum compensation for inmates participating in |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | certain work programs. |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Section 497.004(a), Government Code, is amended |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | to read as follows: |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | (a) The board shall [may] develop by rule and the department |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | shall [may] administer an incentive pay scale for work program |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | participants consistent with rules adopted by the board under |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | Subchapter C. The board shall set pay levels at a minimum of $7.25 |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | per hour of work. Prison industries may be financed through |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | contributions donated for this purpose by private businesses |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | contracting with the department. The department shall apportion pay |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | earned by a work program participant in the same manner as is |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | required by rules adopted by the board under Section 497.0581. |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | SECTION 2. Section 497.099(b), Government Code, is amended |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | to read as follows: |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | (b) The board shall [may] develop by rule and the department |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | shall [may] administer an incentive pay scale program for inmates |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | required to work in agricultural, industrial, or other work |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | programs. In developing the program, the board shall set pay levels |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | not to unjustly reward inmates, but rather to instruct inmates on |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | the virtues of diligent participation in the workplace, provided |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | that the board shall set pay levels at a minimum of $7.25 per hour |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | of work. The department shall deposit an amount earned by an inmate |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | under this subsection into the inmate's trust fund and may deduct |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | not more than 80 percent of the amount deposited under this |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | subsection for payment of restitution and dependent care owed by |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | the inmate. This subsection does not apply to the compensation of |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | an inmate participating in a Texas Correctional Industries program |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | under Subchapter A or an inmate participating in a private sector |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | prison industries program under Subchapter C. |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | SECTION 3. Not later than December 1, 2023, the Texas Board |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | of Criminal Justice shall adopt the rules required by Sections |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | 497.004(a) and 497.099(b), Government Code, as amended by this Act. |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
|---|