1-1 By: West, Culberson, Cuellar, et al. H.B. No. 244 1-2 (Senate Sponsor - West) 1-3 (In the Senate - Received from the House March 29, 1999; 1-4 March 30, 1999, read first time and referred to Committee on 1-5 Criminal Justice; May 14, 1999, reported favorably by the following 1-6 vote: Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 14, 1999, sent to printer.) 1-7 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-8 AN ACT 1-9 relating to a requirement that inmates of the Texas Department of 1-10 Criminal Justice participate in work and educational programs. 1-11 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-12 SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 497, Government Code, is 1-13 amended by adding Section 497.099 to read as follows: 1-14 Sec. 497.099. PARTICIPATION IN WORK PROGRAM REQUIRED. The 1-15 department shall require each inmate to work in an agricultural, 1-16 industrial, or other work program, to the extent that the inmate is 1-17 physically and mentally capable of working. The department may 1-18 waive the work requirement for an inmate as necessary to maintain 1-19 security. 1-20 SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 501, Government Code, is 1-21 amended by adding Section 501.0051 to read as follows: 1-22 Sec. 501.0051. EDUCATION REQUIRED. (a) The department shall 1-23 require an inmate who does not hold a high school diploma or 1-24 general equivalency certificate to participate in available 1-25 educational programming designed to help the inmate to earn a 1-26 general equivalency certificate. 1-27 (b) This section does not apply to an inmate confined on 1-28 death row or confined in administrative segregation or close 1-29 custody. The department may waive the educational requirement 1-30 imposed by this section on an inmate if the department determines 1-31 that the inmate lacks the learning ability to earn a certificate. 1-32 (c) The department may limit participation in an educational 1-33 program based on the capacity of the program and may assign inmates 1-34 to participate on the basis of the inmates' release dates, using 1-35 the department's individualized treatment plans. 1-36 SECTION 3. Section 497.090, Government Code, is repealed. 1-37 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 1-38 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-39 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-40 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-41 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 1-42 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 1-43 passage, and it is so enacted. 1-44 * * * * *