By Jones of Dallas H.B. No. 917 75R765 GWK-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the ability of the Texas Department of Criminal 1-3 Justice to enter into contracts for inmate labor that provide 1-4 inmates with access to personal information about persons who are 1-5 not confined. 1-6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-7 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 497, Government Code, is 1-8 amended by adding Section 497.011 to read as follows: 1-9 Sec. 497.011. CERTAIN CONTRACTS PROHIBITED. The department 1-10 may not enter into a contract with a private business or public 1-11 entity that requires or permits an inmate confined in a 1-12 correctional facility operated by or for the department to have 1-13 access to personal information about persons who are not confined 1-14 in facilities operated by or for the department. 1-15 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect on September 1, 1997, and 1-16 applies only to a contract entered into by the Texas Department of 1-17 Criminal Justice on or after that date. A contract entered into by 1-18 the department before the effective date of this Act is covered by 1-19 the law in effect when the contract was entered into, and the 1-20 former law is continued in effect for that purpose. 1-21 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 1-22 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-23 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-24 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-1 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.