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 * * * * *