Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB433 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R3329 KJE-D
2	2	By: Bucy H.B. No. 433
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to the establishment of the Higher Education and
10	10	Corrections Council.
11	11	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	12	SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 3, Education Code, is amended
13	13	by adding Chapter 64 to read as follows:
14	14	CHAPTER 64. HIGHER EDUCATION AND CORRECTIONS COUNCIL
15	15	SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
16	16	Sec. 64.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
17	17	(1) "Career school or college" has the meaning
18	18	assigned by Section 132.001.
19	19	(2) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher
20	20	Education Coordinating Board.
21	21	(3) "Council" means the Higher Education and
22	22	Corrections Council.
23	23	(4) "Department" means the Texas Department of
24	24	Criminal Justice.
25	25	(5) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning
26	26	assigned by Section 61.003.
27	27	SUBCHAPTER B. ESTABLISHMENT OF COUNCIL
28	28	Sec. 64.051. ESTABLISHMENT. The Higher Education and
29	29	Corrections Council is established to help coordinate and make
30	30	recommendations to the coordinating board and the department
31	31	regarding educational opportunities for incarcerated individuals.
32	32	Sec. 64.052. COUNCIL MEMBERS. (a) The council consists of
33	33	the following 11 members:
34	34	(1) a member of the house of representatives appointed
35	35	by the speaker of the house of representatives;
36	36	(2) a member of the senate appointed by the lieutenant
37	37	governor;
38	38	(3) the following members appointed by the
39	39	commissioner of higher education:
40	40	(A) an employee of the coordinating board;
41	41	(B) an employee of a career school or college;
42	42	(C) an employee of an institution of higher
43	43	education;
44	44	(D) a researcher who studies higher education in
45	45	correctional facilities;
46	46	(E) a formerly incarcerated individual who
47	47	participated in higher education programs while incarcerated in a
48	48	prison in this state; and
49	49	(F) the executive director of a nonprofit
50	50	organization engaged in criminal justice work in this state or the
51	51	executive director's designee;
52	52	(4) the executive director of the department or the
53	53	executive director's designee;
54	54	(5) an employee of the department appointed by the
55	55	executive director of the department; and
56	56	(6) the executive director of the Texas Workforce
57	57	Commission or the executive director's designee.
58	58	(b) A council member serves at the will of the appointing
59	59	authority.
60	60	Sec. 64.053. MEMBER TERMS. Council members serve staggered
61	61	two-year terms, with six members' terms expiring February 1 of each
62	62	odd-numbered year and five members' terms expiring February 1 of
63	63	each even-numbered year.
64	64	Sec. 64.054. VACANCY. A vacancy on the council is filled in
65	65	the same manner as the initial appointment.
66	66	Sec. 64.055. CO-CHAIRS. The council members appointed by
67	67	the speaker of the house of representatives and the lieutenant
68	68	governor serve as co-chairs of the council.
69	69	Sec. 64.056. COMPENSATION; REIMBURSEMENT. A council member
70	70	is not entitled to compensation or reimbursement of expenses
71	71	incurred in performing council duties.
72	72	SUBCHAPTER C. DUTIES OF COUNCIL
73	73	Sec. 64.101. GENERAL DUTIES. The council shall:
74	74	(1) coordinate, facilitate, and support the delivery
75	75	of higher education in correctional facilities in this state to
76	76	prepare incarcerated individuals for integration and productive
77	77	employment on release;
78	78	(2) explore and make recommendations for the efficient
79	79	and effective delivery of higher education programs to incarcerated
80	80	individuals, including:
81	81	(A) evidence-based practices and technologies;
82	82	(B) methods of maximizing and facilitating
83	83	access to educational programs;
84	84	(C) methods of supporting and facilitating
85	85	timely completion of courses and certificate and degree programs;
86	86	(D) methods of emphasizing educational programs
87	87	that:
88	88	(i) align with current and future workforce
89	89	demands in this state;
90	90	(ii) lead to occupations that are
91	91	accessible to formerly incarcerated individuals;
92	92	(iii) provide sustainable wages after
93	93	release; and
94	94	(iv) maximize accessibility and timely
95	95	completion during incarceration;
96	96	(E) use of cross-institutional coursework
97	97	application toward certificate and degree programs;
98	98	(F) use of coursework that encourages personal
99	99	and civic development; and
100	100	(G) methods of leveraging innovative course
101	101	delivery, including technology resources;
102	102	(3) explore methods and make recommendations for the
103	103	collection and analysis of critical data regarding:
104	104	(A) enrollment and completion of higher
105	105	education courses, credentials, and certificate and degree
106	106	programs;
107	107	(B) federal and state student aid awarded to
108	108	incarcerated individuals;
109	109	(C) costs of higher education in correctional
110	110	facilities, including any recommendations for continued
111	111	improvement; and
112	112	(D) outcomes of formerly incarcerated
113	113	individuals who participated in higher education programming
114	114	during incarceration and are on parole, including recidivism,
115	115	employment, and post-release higher education engagement; and
116	116	(4) make recommendations regarding legislative
117	117	appropriations requests to support the council's purposes and
118	118	objectives.
119	119	Sec. 64.102. REPORT. Not later than November 1 of each
120	120	even-numbered year, the council shall submit to the legislature,
121	121	the coordinating board, and the department a report regarding the
122	122	council's duties under this chapter during the preceding two years
123	123	and any recommendations for legislative or other action. The
124	124	report must include:
125	125	(1) the number of incarcerated individuals enrolled in
126	126	higher education; and
127	127	(2) the number of incarcerated individuals who
128	128	received a certificate or degree.
129	129	SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date
130	130	of this Act, the appointing authorities shall make the initial
131	131	appointments required under Section 64.052, Education Code, as
132	132	added by this Act.
133	133	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
134	134	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
135	135	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
136	136	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
137	137	Act takes effect September 1, 2025.