1-1     By:  Place, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Patterson)       H.B. No. 2825

 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House May 1, 1997;

 1-3     May 2, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal

 1-4     Justice; May 16, 1997, reported favorably by the following vote:

 1-5     Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 16, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-7                                   AN ACT

 1-8     relating to the use of inmate and probationer labor for state

 1-9     highway system projects.

1-10           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-11           SECTION 1.  Section 223.044, Transportation Code, is amended

1-12     to read as follows:

1-13           Sec. 223.044. INMATE OR PROBATIONER LABOR FOR IMPROVEMENT

1-14     PROJECTS.  (a)  The commission and a criminal justice agency may

1-15     contract  [with the Texas Board of Criminal Justice] for the

1-16     provision of inmate or probationer labor for a state highway system

1-17     improvement project.

1-18           (b)  The contract must be made in conformity with Chapter

1-19     771, Government Code.

1-20           (c)  In this section, "criminal justice agency" includes:

1-21                 (1)  the Texas Department of Criminal Justice;

1-22                 (2)  a community supervision and corrections department

1-23     established under Chapter 76, Government Code; and

1-24                 (3)  a sheriff's department operating:

1-25                       (A)  a county farm or workhouse established under

1-26     Article 43.10, Code of Criminal Procedure; or

1-27                       (B)  a county correctional center established

1-28     under Section 351.181, Local Government Code.

1-29           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-30     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-31     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-32     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-33     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

1-34     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

1-35     passage, and it is so enacted.

1-36                                  * * * * *