SGN S.B. 188 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS


CORRECTIONS
S.B. 188
By: Madla (Hightower)
4-9-97
Committee Report (Unamended)


BACKGROUND 

Currently, Texas law provides that it is a felony for an inmate to
disclose or use personal information about another person for certain
prohibited uses when that information was gained in a prison work program.
This inhibits the state from prosecuting a person who possesses such
information, but has not yet used or disclosed the information.  This bill
will provide for prosecution of an inmate who possesses, for certain
prohibited uses, personal information about another person when that
information was gained in a prison work program. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 188 prohibits an inmate from possessing, for certain
prohibited uses, personal information about another person when that
information was gained in a prison work program.  

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 Subsection (a), Section 38.111, Penal Code, to provide
that an inmate of the institutional division of the Texas Department of
Criminal Justice or a person confined in a state jail felony facility
commits an offense if with intent to obtain a benefit or with intent to
harm or defraud another, the inmate or person possesses a written document
or other tangible item that contains personal information about another
that the inmate or person has access to by means of participation in a
work program operated by or for the institutional division or state jail
division. 

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1997.

SECTION 3. Emergency clause.