BILL ANALYSIS



H.B. 2782
By:  Allen
04-04-95
Committee Report (Unamended)


BACKGROUND

Currently, certain groups of inmates are excluded from the prison
work program.  This is because certain groups of inmates are under
the jurisdiction of different divisions of the department and only
certain divisions have access to the work program.

PURPOSE

H.B. 2782 proposes that the prison industries office be operated by
the department rather than by the institutional division.

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.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Sec. 171.651, Tax Code, to define "Department"
           as the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and replace
           "institutional division"  with "department."

SECTION 2.     Amends Sections 171.653 (a) and (b), Tax Code, by
               changing "institutional division" to "department."

SECTION 3.     Amends Sections 171.654 (a) and (b), Tax Code, by
               changing "institutional division" to "department."

SECTION 4.     Amends Section 497.001, Government Code, provide
               that the prison industries office is an office in
               the department and is under the control of the
               executive director.

SECTION 5. Amends Section 497.002(b), Government Code, by changing
           the "director of the institutional division" to the
           "executive director."

SECTION 6.     Amends Section 497.004, Government Code, by
               changing "director of the institutional division"
               to "executive director."  Also changes references
               of "institutional division" to "department."

SECTION 7.     Amends Section 497.005, Government Code, by
               changing "institutional division" to "department."

SECTION 8.     Amends Section 497.006, Government Code, by
               changing "institutional division" to "department."

SECTION 9.     Amends Section 497.008, Government Code, by
               changing "institutional division" to "department."

SECTION 10.    Amends Section 497.009, Government Code, by
               changing "institutional division" to "department."

SECTION 11.    Emergency clause.
           Effective date:  upon passage.


SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION

H.B. 2782 was considered by the Committee on Corrections in a
public hearing on April 4, 1995.  The bill was reported favorably,
without amendment, with the recommendation that it do pass and be
printed, by a record vote of 6 ayes, 1 nay, 0 pnv, and 2 absent.