Bill Text: TX SB1147 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to vocational training for and the occupational licensing of inmates in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-03-09 - Referred to Criminal Justice [SB1147 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-SB1147-Introduced.html
88R9131 MAW-F | ||
By: West | S.B. No. 1147 |
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relating to vocational training for and the occupational licensing | ||
of inmates in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 501.027, Government Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
Sec. 501.027. ACCESS TO PROGRAMS BY FEMALE | ||
INMATES. (a) The department shall develop and implement policies | ||
that increase and promote a female inmate's access to programs | ||
offered to inmates in the custody of the department, including | ||
educational, [ |
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rehabilitation, life skills training, and prerelease programs and | ||
vocational programs providing education and training designed to | ||
ensure successful employment following the inmate's release. The | ||
department may not reduce or limit a male inmate's access to a | ||
program to meet the requirements of this section. | ||
(b) Not later than December 31 of each year, the department | ||
shall: | ||
(1) prepare and submit to the governor, the lieutenant | ||
governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, each | ||
standing committee of the legislature having primary jurisdiction | ||
over the department, and the reentry task force described by | ||
Section 501.098 a written report that includes: | ||
(A) a description of any department policies that | ||
were created, modified, or eliminated during the preceding year to | ||
meet the requirements of this section; [ |
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(B) a list of: | ||
(i) all programs available to female | ||
inmates in the custody of the department during the preceding year; | ||
and | ||
(ii) vocational programs made available to | ||
female inmates in the custody of the department during the | ||
preceding year; and | ||
(C) a description of any issue identified by the | ||
department that prevents the department from making more vocational | ||
programs available to female inmates in the custody of the | ||
department; and | ||
(2) publish the report on the department's Internet | ||
website. | ||
SECTION 2. Section 53.021, Occupations Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows: | ||
(b-1) Subsection (b) does not prohibit a licensing | ||
authority from accepting an application from an inmate imprisoned | ||
in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. | ||
SECTION 3. As soon as practicable after the effective date | ||
of this Act, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shall develop | ||
and implement the policies necessary to implement Section 501.027, | ||
Government Code, as amended by this Act. | ||
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |