SGN H.B. 2825 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS CORRECTIONS H.B. 2825 By: Place 4-9-97 Committee Report (Amended) BACKGROUND Due to a lack of resources, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) must utilize other means to assist the department in its roadside maintenance duties. These duties include cleaning debris from under bridges, tree and brush trimming along the right of way, painting bridges, graffiti removal and litter pickup. Currently, the department possesses statutory authority to allow only certain entities to perform highway maintenance work. These entities include cities, counties, private entities and the Texas Board of Criminal Justice. The department is still in need of other resources to perform roadside maintenance duties. The Legislature authorized the creation of Community Supervision and Corrections Departments (CSCD's) as a means for individuals placed on community supervision by a district judge to pay for their debts in the form of community service. TxDot has expressed interest in contracting with CSCD's and the county sheriff's department so that these inmates and probationers could perform highway maintenance work. Although the department has the authority to utilize TDCJ inmate labor, it does not have the statutory authority to enter into agreements with CSCD's or a sheriff's department operating a county correctional center program to perform highway maintenance. PURPOSE H.B. 2825 gives the Texas Transportation Commission (TTC) statutory authority to contract with a criminal justice agency for the provision of inmate or probationer labor for the performance of highway maintenance work. 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 Section 223.044, Transportation Code by amending subsection (a) and adding subsection (c) as follows: Sec. 223.044. INMATE OR PROBATIONER LABOR FOR IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. (a) Provides that the Texas Transportation Commission and a criminal justice agency may contract for the provision of inmate or probationer labor for a state highway system improvement project. (c) Defines "criminal justice agency" to include the Texas Board of Criminal Justice, a community supervision and corrections department (CSCD), and a sheriff's department operating a county farm or workhouse, or a county correctional center program. SECTION 2. Emergency clause. EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS Committee amendment number one changes the Texas Board of Criminal Justice to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.