Bill Text: TX HB3227 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to the availability of and access to certain programs and services for persons in the custody of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-4)
Status: (Passed) 2019-06-14 - Effective on 9/1/19 [HB3227 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB3227-Enrolled.html
H.B. No. 3227 |
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relating to the availability of and access to certain programs and | ||
services for persons in the custody of the Texas Department of | ||
Criminal Justice. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Chapter 493, Government Code, is amended by | ||
adding Section 493.032 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 493.032. AVAILABILITY OF PEER SUPPORT SERVICES. (a) | ||
The department shall adopt a policy to increase the availability of | ||
formal and informal peer support services, including certified peer | ||
specialist services, to a person confined in a facility operated by | ||
or under contract with the department, including a state jail | ||
felony facility, substance abuse felony punishment facility, or | ||
intermediate sanction facility. | ||
(b) The policy adopted under Subsection (a) must: | ||
(1) allow for persons who have previously been | ||
convicted of an offense, including releasees on parole or mandatory | ||
supervision and defendants on community supervision, to serve as | ||
certified peer specialists in a facility described by Subsection | ||
(a); | ||
(2) specify the conditions under which a person | ||
described by Subdivision (1) may serve as a certified peer | ||
specialist; and | ||
(3) allow for persons confined in a facility described | ||
by Subsection (a) to serve in a peer support role, provided that the | ||
persons are trained and supervised by a community-based | ||
organization described by Subsection (c). | ||
(c) In implementing the policy adopted under Subsection | ||
(a), the department shall: | ||
(1) collaborate with community-based organizations | ||
that provide peer specialist training, including training in any of | ||
the following peer support specialties: | ||
(A) certified peer specialist; | ||
(B) certified peer reentry specialist; | ||
(C) certified peer recovery specialist; or | ||
(D) any other peer support specialty recognized | ||
by the Health and Human Services Commission; and | ||
(2) encourage and assist persons described by | ||
Subsection (b)(3), with particular emphasis on persons who have | ||
been involved with programs or services relating to substance abuse | ||
or behavioral health, to participate in training described by | ||
Subdivision (1). | ||
SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 501, Government Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 501.026 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 501.026. 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, | ||
vocational, substance use treatment, rehabilitation, life skills | ||
training, and prerelease programs. 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; and | ||
(B) a list of programs available to female | ||
inmates in the custody of the department during the preceding year; | ||
and | ||
(2) publish the report on the department's Internet | ||
website. | ||
SECTION 3. Not later than September 1, 2020, the Texas | ||
Department of Criminal Justice shall adopt and implement the policy | ||
required by Section 493.032, Government Code, as added by this Act. | ||
SECTION 4. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective | ||
date of this Act, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shall | ||
develop and implement the policies required by Section 501.026, | ||
Government Code, as added by this Act. | ||
(b) The Texas Department of Criminal Justice shall submit | ||
the first report required by Section 501.026, Government Code, as | ||
added by this Act, not later than December 31, 2020. | ||
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. | ||
______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
I certify that H.B. No. 3227 was passed by the House on April | ||
17, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 143, Nays 0, 1 present, not | ||
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. | ||
No. 3227 on May 24, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 140, Nays 2, | ||
2 present, not voting. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||
I certify that H.B. No. 3227 was passed by the Senate, with | ||
amendments, on May 22, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays | ||
0. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate | ||
APPROVED: __________________ | ||
Date | ||
__________________ | ||
Governor |