89R15570 MCF-D
By: Collier H.B. No. 3841
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the investigation of the death of a prisoner in county
jail.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 511.021, Government Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (b-1), (d), and (e)
to read as follows:
(a) Not later than the 30th day after the date on which the
commission is notified of a [On the] death of a prisoner in a county
jail, the commission shall appoint a law enforcement agency, other
than the local law enforcement agency that operates the county
jail, to investigate the death [as soon as possible]. Except as
[otherwise] provided by Subsection (b), the appointed law
enforcement agency shall conduct the investigation and shall begin
the investigation as soon as practicable after being appointed
under this subsection.
(b-1) As soon as practicable after a law enforcement agency
is appointed by the commission under Subsection (a), the agency
shall notify the commission regarding whether the agency is
accepting the appointment or intends to present evidence to the
commission under Subsection (b).
(d) The commission shall publish on the commission's
Internet website the following information for each death of a
prisoner in a county jail:
(1) the county where the death occurred;
(2) the date that the death occurred;
(3) the name of the law enforcement agency appointed
under Subsection (a) to investigate the death;
(4) the date on which the law enforcement agency was
appointed;
(5) if the commission determines there is a conflict
of interest with the appointed law enforcement agency:
(A) the name of the new law enforcement agency
appointed to investigate the death; and
(B) the date on which the new law enforcement
agency was appointed; and
(6) whether the investigation is pending or completed.
(e) The information described by Subsection (d) must:
(1) be updated monthly; and
(2) remain published on the Internet website until at
least the second anniversary of the date of the prisoner's death.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.