BILL ANALYSIS



H.B. 896
By: Sylvester Turner
04-18-95
Committee Report (Unamended)


BACKGROUND

Texas is in the midst of an unprecedented boom in prison
construction providing economic opportunity to hundreds of
contractors and subcontractors.  Repeat offenders occupy a large
portion of this prison space.  Whether a released inmate finds a
job ranks high in the factors affecting the individual's potential
for recidivism.

Some number of churches, businesses, concerned individuals, and
certain state programs are trying to address the problem.  Their
number suffers by comparison, however, with the thousands of
additional prisoners which the state will soon be prepared to
house.  The state needs to find ways to encourage wide-spread
interest in helping released inmates find jobs.

Those who benefit monetarily from the expansion of the prison
systems hold the most obvious possibility for the state to
encourage support for finding these jobs.

This bill would allow the Board of Criminal Justice to structure a
system to consider participation in jobs for released inmate
programs when awarding contracts.  For security reasons, some of
the contractors might not find it practical to directly employ
released felons.  However, there are many ways they could
contribute to this effort.  They could sponsor a job listing for
their local chamber of commerce, or contribute volunteer time to
recruit potential employers, or contribute funds to non-profit
groups involved in securing jobs for inmates, or do any of a
hundred creative things.

PURPOSE

This bill would encourage good-faith efforts to support increased
job opportunities for released inmates by considering such efforts
among the factors in awarding contracts.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill expressly grants
additional rulemaking authority to the Texas Board of Criminal
Justice, in SECTION 1, Chapter 493, Section 493.015, Government
Code.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Chapter 493, Government Code, by adding Section
493. 015 as follows:

     (a)  Requires the Board of Criminal Justice to require
     contractors or vendors bidding on contracts to submit with the
     bid, information concerning any:
           (1)  programs they operate or support to employ released
           felons in the business of the contractor or vendor;
           (2)  financial contributions previously made, or that
           they intend to make to programs that have as a goal the
           employment of released felons; and
           (3)  programs conducted for the same purpose or financed
           contributions made to such causes by their anticipated
           subcontractors.

     (b)  States that this section applies only to contractors or
     vendors bidding on a contract  to provide goods or services to
     the department if:
           (1) the amount of the contract is for $100,000 or more;
           or, 
           (2) had $100,000 or more in contracts from the
           department in the twelve months preceding the contract
           sought.

     (c)  Allows exception to normal bid procedure in awarding
     contracts, to consider support of jobs for released inmates.

     (d)  Requires the board to adopt rules relating to the
     evaluation by the department of information provided under
     subsection (a), and the weight that the board gives the
     information described by subsection (c) in awarding a
     contract.

SECTION 2. Emergency clause.
           Effective date:  upon passage.

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION

H.B. 896 was considered by the Committee on Corrections in a public
hearing on April 18, 1995.  The Chair recognized Representative
Sylvester Turner to explain the bill.  The bill was reported
favorably, without amendment, with the recommendation that it do
pass and be printed by a record vote of 8 ayes, 0 nays, 0 pnv, and
1 absent.