Bill Text: TX HB3721 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to a study by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice concerning the transparency, oversight, and accountability of the use of the restrictive housing, security threat groups, and certain disciplinary measures.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2025-03-26 - Referred to Corrections [HB3721 Detail]
Download: Texas-2025-HB3721-Introduced.html
| By: Meza | H.B. No. 3721 | |
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| relating to a study by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice | ||
| concerning the transparency, oversight, and accountability of the | ||
| use of the restrictive housing, security threat groups, and certain | ||
| disciplinary measures | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. TITLE. This bill shall be known as the | ||
| Restrictive Housing / Solitary Confinement Standards and Reporting | ||
| Act. | ||
| SECTION 2. PURPOSE. The purpose of this bill is to enhance | ||
| transparency, oversight, and accountability regarding the use of | ||
| solitary confinement, also known as restrictive housing, STG, G4, | ||
| G5, ALU, and Death Row in TDCJ correctional facilities. The goal is | ||
| to track progress in improving standards for the treatment of | ||
| individuals in all forms of restrictive housing/solitary | ||
| confinement to ensure that correctional institutions uphold the | ||
| mental, physical, and rehabilitative well-being of those | ||
| incarcerated. | ||
| SECTION 3. DEFINITIONS. For the purposes of this Act: | ||
| (a) Restrictive Housing includes all forms of solitary | ||
| confinement in TDCJ (G4, G5, STG, ALU, and Death Row). It refers to | ||
| the practice of placing an inmate in a physically isolated cell or | ||
| unit, with limited or no social interaction, with restrictions on | ||
| the amount of time outside the cell, and access to rehabilitative | ||
| programs or services. | ||
| (b) Restricted Housing refers to a similar form of | ||
| confinement as above, involving isolation with limited privileges, | ||
| often used for inmates who pose a risk to safety or security. | ||
| (c) Rehabilitative Programs refer to activities or services | ||
| aimed at improving the behavioral, psychological, educational, and | ||
| vocational outcomes for individuals incarcerated in solitary | ||
| confinement. | ||
| (d) Mental Health Diagnoses include any recognized | ||
| condition affecting the mental or emotional health of an | ||
| individual, such as anxiety disorders, depression, and | ||
| schizophrenia, among others. | ||
| (e) Medical or Psychiatric Emergencies refers to situations | ||
| where an individual in solitary confinement experiences severe | ||
| mental or physical distress that requires immediate medical or | ||
| psychiatric attention. | ||
| SECTION 4. DATA COLLECTION AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. The | ||
| Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall collect | ||
| comprehensive data to monitor and evaluate the use of solitary | ||
| confinement, also known as restricted housing. This data will be | ||
| used to track progress toward improving the conditions, standards, | ||
| and overall impact of solitary confinement placements. An annual | ||
| report shall be submitted to the Legislature containing data | ||
| including personal information, reasons for placement, program | ||
| access, staffing ratios, duration, facility utilization, mental | ||
| health impacts, and appeal outcomes. | ||
| SECTION 5. COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT. The Department | ||
| shall ensure the accuracy and timeliness of the data collected | ||
| under this Act. Non-compliance will result in corrective actions | ||
| and potential independent audits. Any individual found to have | ||
| been wrongfully placed in solitary confinement or subjected to | ||
| prolonged confinement without just cause shall have legal recourse. | ||
| SECTION 6. IMPLEMENTATION. The Department of Corrections | ||
| and Rehabilitation shall begin implementing the provisions of this | ||
| Act within six months of the date of its enactment. Necessary | ||
| adjustments to data collection systems, staff training, and | ||
| reporting protocols shall be completed in a timely manner. | ||
| SECTION 8. This Act shall take effect on September 5, 2025, | ||
| or as soon as possible thereafter. | ||
