BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2201

By: Canales

Corrections

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Inmates in state jail facilities who are eligible for confinement in a substance abuse felony punishment facility (SAFPF) do not always receive the proper care their conditions warrant. This is because, under current law, the state jail felony division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) has the authority to designate a discrete area within a state jail felony facility to treat these inmates rather than sending them to an official SAFPF for rehabilitation. H.B. 2201 seeks to address this issue by removing the authority of the division to designate discrete areas to treat these inmates or to house inmates who are sentenced to imprisonment in the institutional division of TDCJ.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 2201 amends the Government Code to remove the authority granted to the state jail division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) to designate discrete areas within state jail felony facilities to treat inmates who are eligible for confinement in a substance abuse felony punishment facility or to house inmates who are sentenced to imprisonment in the institutional division of TDCJ that are not themselves designated for that purpose.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.