By Conley H.B. No. 514 74R2457 GWK-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the employment of inmates of the institutional division 1-3 of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice by contractors 1-4 constructing institutional division facilities. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 497, Government Code, is 1-7 amended by adding Section 497.097 to read as follows: 1-8 Sec. 497.097. USE OF INMATE LABOR BY CONTRACTORS. (a) The 1-9 board, by rule, may permit the voluntary employment of inmates by a 1-10 contractor operating under a construction contract with the board. 1-11 (b) An inmate employed by a contractor under this section 1-12 may not during any period of employment leave the premises of the 1-13 institutional division. 1-14 (c) A contractor employing an inmate under this section 1-15 shall pay the inmate at a wage at least as high as the prevailing 1-16 wage for similar work in the area where the work is performed. 1-17 (d) The salary of an inmate employed under this section 1-18 shall be paid to the director of the institutional division and 1-19 distributed as follows: 1-20 (1) if the inmate has children who are dependents of 1-21 the spouse or the inmate, other dependent family members, or a 1-22 spouse, one-half of the salary to those individuals and one-half to 1-23 the compensation of victims of crime fund in the state treasury 1-24 created under Article 56.54, Code of Criminal Procedure; or 2-1 (2) if the inmate has no dependent or spouse, to the 2-2 compensation of victims of crime fund described by Subdivision (1). 2-3 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 2-4 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-5 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-6 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-7 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-8 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-9 passage, and it is so enacted.