By Nelson                                               S.B. No. 37

      75R1624 GWK-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the authority of the Texas Board of Criminal Justice to

 1-3     provide maximum flexibility to the department in the use of space

 1-4     and programs.

 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-6           SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 496, Government Code, is

 1-7     amended by adding Section 496.0032 to read as follows:

 1-8           Sec. 496.0032.  FLEXIBILITY IN USING SPACE AND PROGRAMS.  The

 1-9     board may adopt rules to permit the department to use  space within

1-10     the department and programs provided by the department in a manner

1-11     that maximizes the number of inmates that can efficiently be housed

1-12     by the department without building new units.

1-13           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-14     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-15     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-16     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-17     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

1-18     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

1-19     passage, and it is so enacted.