By: Wilson H.B. No. 1204 73R5620 GWK-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to a prohibition against the use of inmates of the 1-3 institutional division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice 1-4 in programs that train dogs to track or capture inmates. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 501, Government Code, is 1-7 amended by adding Section 501.018 to read as follows: 1-8 Sec. 501.018. INMATE USE IN DOG TRAINING PROHIBITED. A 1-9 member of the Texas Board of Criminal Justice or an employee of the 1-10 institutional division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice 1-11 may not require or permit an inmate to participate in any program 1-12 or exercise intended to train a dog to track or capture inmates 1-13 unless the inmate is accompanied by a member of the board who 1-14 participates in the program or exercise in the same role as the 1-15 inmate. 1-16 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 1-17 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-18 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-19 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-20 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 1-21 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 1-22 passage, and it is so enacted.