HBA-EVB S.B. 1514 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 1514 By: Ogden Corrections 4/23/1999 Engrossed BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, Texas law authorizes the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to contract with a criminal justice agency for the provision of inmate or probationer labor for a state highway system improvement project, but does not allow TxDOT to contract with private correctional facilities. S.B. 1514 allows TxDOT to contract with private correctional facilities for the provision of inmate or probationer labor. S.B. 1514 also authorizes the use of inmate and probationer labor for state highway system improvements. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 223.044, Transportation Code, as follows: Section 223.044. New title: INMATE LABOR OR LABOR OF PERSONS PLACED ON COMMUNITY SUPERVISION FOR IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. SECTION 2. Amends Sections 223.044(a) and (b), Transportation Code, as follows: (a) Authorizes the Texas Transportation Commission to authorize the Texas Department of Transportation to contract with a criminal justice agency or a private correctional facility for the provision of inmate labor or the labor of persons placed on community supervision for a state highway system improvement project. (b) Provides that a contract with a criminal justice agency must be made in conformity with Chapter 771 (Interagency Cooperation Act), Government Code. SECTION 3. Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.