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House Bill 2990 |
House Author: Madden |
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Effective: Vetoed |
Senate Sponsor: Seliger |
House Bill 2990 amends the Government Code to require the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to ensure that any correctional facility, other than a municipal jail, whose construction begins on or after September 1, 2007, be equipped with electronic monitoring and tracking systems to ensure the safety of certain inmates, employees, contractors, and visitors. The department is authorized to retrofit older correctional facilities, other than a municipal jail, with such electronic monitoring and tracking systems.
Reason Given for Veto: "House Bill No. 2990 directs the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) to include an electronic monitoring and tracking system to monitor the physical location and safety of inmates, employees, third-party vendors, and visitors in any correctional facility designed and built after September 1, 2007.
"While I believe that an electronic monitoring and tracking system has merit, I do not believe it should be required by law, especially when funds were not specifically appropriated as part of the bond funds that the TDCJ may be able to utilize for prison construction, if approved by the voters.
"A better approach is to have the TDCJ evaluate how an electronic monitoring and tracking system might improve its operations and safety as part of the construction design process. I direct the Texas Board of Criminal Justice to ensure that this evaluation occurs."