Bill Text: TX SB43 | 2021 | 87th Legislature 3rd Special Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to climate control requirements at facilities operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-09-28 - Filed [SB43 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-SB43-Introduced.html
By: Menéndez | S.B. No. 43 | |
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relating to climate control requirements at facilities operated by | ||
the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 501, Government Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 501.028 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 501.028. CLIMATE CONTROL REQUIREMENTS AT DEPARTMENT | ||
FACILITIES. (a) In this section, "required temperature-controlled | ||
area" means the following areas of a facility operated by the | ||
department: | ||
(1) hospitals; | ||
(2) visiting areas; | ||
(3) housing or dormitory areas; | ||
(4) trustee areas; | ||
(5) areas used for medical treatment or care, | ||
including areas used for dispensing medication to inmates; | ||
(6) kitchens or dining areas; | ||
(7) food preparation areas; | ||
(8) community areas, including dayrooms; | ||
(9) laundry areas; | ||
(10) areas used for work stations; | ||
(11) indoor recreational areas, including gymnasiums; | ||
(12) restroom and shower areas and other areas related | ||
to inmate hygiene; | ||
(13) administrative areas; | ||
(14) correctional officer stations, including guard | ||
post areas; | ||
(15) commissary areas; | ||
(16) areas used for programmatic, educational, or | ||
vocational purposes; | ||
(17) chapels or churches; | ||
(18) libraries; and | ||
(19) maintenance areas. | ||
(b) The department shall ensure that: | ||
(1) the temperature in each required | ||
temperature-controlled area is maintained at not less than 65 | ||
degrees Fahrenheit or more than 85 degrees Fahrenheit; and | ||
(2) each climate control system in use at a facility | ||
operated by the department includes virus-mitigation technology, | ||
such as air purifiers, for the purpose of reducing the spread of | ||
airborne viruses. | ||
SECTION 2. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is not | ||
required to comply with the requirements of Section 501.028, | ||
Government Code, as added by this Act, until September 1, 2022. | ||
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the | ||
legislative session. |