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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to providing inmates with state-issued identification on |
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release or discharge. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 501.0165, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (b) and (c) and adding Subsection (c-1) to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) The department shall submit a request under Subsection |
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(a)(2) as soon as is practicable to enable the department to provide |
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the inmate with the personal identification certificate when the |
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department discharges or releases the inmate but not later than: |
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(1) the 30th day before the date the inmate is |
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scheduled to be discharged; or |
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(2) the 15th day after the date the department is |
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notified that the inmate is to be released on parole, mandatory |
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supervision, or conditional pardon. |
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(c) The department, the Department of Public Safety, and the |
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[bureau of] vital statistics unit of the Department of State Health |
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Services shall by rule adopt a memorandum of understanding that |
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establishes their respective responsibilities with respect to the |
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issuance of a personal identification certificate to an inmate, |
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including responsibilities related to verification of the inmate's |
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identity. The memorandum of understanding must require: |
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(1) the Department of State Health Services to |
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electronically verify the birth record of an inmate whose name and |
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any other personal information is provided by the department and to |
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electronically report the recorded filing information to the |
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Department of Public Safety to validate the identity of an inmate |
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under this section; and |
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(2) the department and the Department of Public Safety |
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to establish procedures or other measures necessary to ensure that |
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inmates described by Subsection (a)(2) are provided with a personal |
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identification certificate when the department discharges or |
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releases the inmates. |
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(c-1) Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year, |
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the department shall: |
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(1) submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, |
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the speaker of the house of representatives, and each standing |
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committee of the legislature with primary jurisdiction over the |
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department a written report that contains the following information |
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for the two-year period proceeding the date of the report: |
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(A) the number of inmates discharged or released |
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on parole, mandatory supervision, or conditional pardon without a |
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valid license or personal identification certificate; and |
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(B) a summary of: |
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(i) the reasons inmates described by |
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Paragraph (A) were discharged or released without being provided a |
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personal identification certificate; and |
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(ii) the actions being implemented to |
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address the reasons identified under Subparagraph (i); and |
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(2) publish the report on the department's Internet |
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website. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to the discharge or release of an inmate on parole, mandatory |
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supervision, or conditional pardon that occurs on or after December |
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1, 2023. A discharge or release that occurs before that date is |
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governed by the law in effect immediately before the effective date |
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of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that |
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purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |