By Turner of Harris H.B. No. 1281 Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1281: By Delco C.S.H.B. No. 1281 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to requiring bidders for certain contracts with the Texas 1-3 Department of Criminal Justice to show proof of support of 1-4 employment programs for released felons and to the use of that 1-5 information by the Texas Board of Criminal Justice in awarding 1-6 contracts. 1-7 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-8 SECTION 1. Chapter 493, Government Code, is amended by 1-9 adding Section 493.013 to read as follows: 1-10 Section 493.013 REQUIRING CONTRACTORS OR VENDORS TO SHOW 1-11 PROOF OF EMPLOYMENT OF RELEASED FELONS. (a) The board shall 1-12 require each contractor or vendor bidding on a contract or 1-13 subcontract, providing goods and services to the department, for 1-14 $100,000 or more, or who in the past 12 months has received 1-15 contracts or subcontracts for providing goods and services to the 1-16 department for $100,000 or more, to submit with the bid information 1-17 concerning any program operated by or to be operated by the 1-18 contractor or vendor to employ released felons, or, the contractor 1-19 or vendor shall submit information regarding financial 1-20 contributions it has made or intends to make to nonprofit or state 1-21 programs that have as a goal the employment of released felons. 1-22 (b) Notwithstanding Section 496.051(a) or other law, 1-23 including the State Purchasing and General Services Act (Article 1-24 601b, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), the board shall consider 2-1 favorably information about a contractor's or vendor's employment 2-2 of released felons or financial participation in or support of 2-3 employment programs for released felons in determining whether to 2-4 award a contract. 2-5 (c) The board shall adopt rules relating to: 2-6 (1) the evaluation by the department of information 2-7 provided under Subsection (a); and 2-8 (2) the weight that the board gives the information 2-9 described by Subsection (b) in awarding a contract, in order to 2-10 encourage the employment of released felons by contractors or 2-11 vendors or to encourage financial contributions to nonprofit or 2-12 state programs by contractors or vendors that have as a goal the 2-13 employment of released felons. 2-14 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 2-15 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-16 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-17 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-18 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-19 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-20 passage, and is so enacted.