By Hunter of Nueces H.B. No. 2679 Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2679: By Hunter of Nueces C.S.H.B. No. 2679 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to county jail work release programs. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Article 42.034, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure 1-5 is amended to read as follows: 1-6 Art. 42.034. County Jail Work Release Programs. (a) If 1-7 jail time has been awarded to a person sentenced for a misdemeanor 1-8 or sentenced to confinement in the county jail for a felony, the 1-9 trial judge at the time of pronouncement of sentence or at any time 1-10 while the defendant is serving the sentence, within in the judge's 1-11 discretion the ends of justice would best be served, may permit the 1-12 defendant to served an alternate term for the same period of time 1-13 in the county jail work release program of the county in which the 1-14 offense occurred. An inmate who participates in a county jail work 1-15 release program is not an employee of the county. 1-16 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995. 1-17 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 1-18 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-19 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-20 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-21 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.