| 1 | 1 | | By: Meza H.B. No. 3723 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 7 | 7 | | AN ACT |
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| 8 | 8 | | relating to the access of certain individuals in correctional |
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| 9 | 9 | | facilities to certain rehabilitative treatments. |
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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. This act may be cited as the "Rehabilitation |
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| 12 | 12 | | Access for Security Threat Group Members Act." |
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| 13 | 13 | | SECTION 2. FINDINGS. The Legislature finds that: |
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| 14 | 14 | | 1. Security Threat Groups (STGs) are defined by the Texas |
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| 15 | 15 | | Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) as groups or associations of |
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| 16 | 16 | | inmates whose activities pose a threat to the safety and security of |
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| 17 | 17 | | correctional facilities, staff, and the general public. |
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| 18 | 18 | | 2. Rehabilitation programs are critical to reducing |
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| 19 | 19 | | recidivism and promoting successful reintegration into society. |
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| 20 | 20 | | 3. Offen1ers who have committed crimes related to drug or |
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| 21 | 21 | | substance use should have access to rehabilitative programs that |
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| 22 | 22 | | directly relate to their crime of conviction, regardless of their |
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| 23 | 23 | | STG status. |
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| 24 | 24 | | 4. Current policies may restrict access to specific |
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| 25 | 25 | | rehabilitative programs for STG members, creating barriers to |
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| 26 | 26 | | education and treatment directly related to their offense. |
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| 27 | 27 | | 5. The effective rehabilitation of individuals with |
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| 28 | 28 | | substance abuse issues is a key factor in reducing future criminal |
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| 29 | 29 | | behavior and promoting safer communities. |
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| 30 | 30 | | SECTION 3. AMENDMENT TO TDCJ POLICIES AND PRACTICES: |
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| 31 | 31 | | (a) Mandatory Access to Rehabilitative Programs. |
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| 32 | 32 | | (1) The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) |
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| 33 | 33 | | shall ensure that all inmates, including those classified as |
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| 34 | 34 | | members of Security Threat Groups (STGs), have equal and |
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| 35 | 35 | | unobstructed access to rehabilitative programs directly related to |
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| 36 | 36 | | their crime of conviction, provided they meet all program |
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| 37 | 37 | | requirements. |
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| 38 | 38 | | (b) Program Relevance to Crime of Conviction. Inmates |
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| 39 | 39 | | convicted of drug or substance-related offenses shall have equal |
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| 40 | 40 | | access to the following types of rehabilitative programs: |
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| 41 | 41 | | (1) Drug and substance use prevention programs; |
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| 42 | 42 | | (2) Drug and substance use rehabilitation programs; |
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| 43 | 43 | | (3) Substance use education programs; |
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| 44 | 44 | | (4) Any other programs designed to address or reduce |
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| 45 | 45 | | the likelihood of future offenses related to drug and substance |
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| 46 | 46 | | abuse. |
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| 47 | 47 | | (c) Non-Discriminatory Access. No individual shall be |
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| 48 | 48 | | denied access to these programs solely on the basis of their STG |
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| 49 | 49 | | status, and all eligible inmates shall have the opportunity to |
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| 50 | 50 | | participate in relevant programs without restriction due to |
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| 51 | 51 | | classification. |
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| 52 | 52 | | SECTION 4. PROGRAM EVALUATION AND REPORTING. (a) The TDCJ |
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| 53 | 53 | | shall, within one year of the passage of this Act, establish an |
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| 54 | 54 | | evaluation and reporting process to monitor the effectiveness of |
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| 55 | 55 | | this policy. The evaluation shall include: |
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| 56 | 56 | | (1) Data on the participation rates of STG members in |
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| 57 | 57 | | rehabilitative programs related to their crime of conviction; |
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| 58 | 58 | | (2) The outcomes of these programs in terms of |
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| 59 | 59 | | substance abuse reduction while in custody; |
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| 60 | 60 | | (3) Any barriers to access that exist for STG members. |
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| 61 | 61 | | (b) The TDCJ shall submit a report to the legislature every |
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| 62 | 62 | | two years detailing the success of the program and any necessary |
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| 63 | 63 | | adjustments or recommendations for improvements. |
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| 64 | 64 | | SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025 and |
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| 65 | 65 | | applies to all persons incarcerated during and after the passage of |
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| 66 | 66 | | this act. |
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