HBA-DMH S.B. 840 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 840
By: Wentworth
Corrections
4/30/2001
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, a governmental body is not required to accept or comply
with a request made under the open records law from an individual who is
imprisoned or confined in a correctional facility.  Some confusion exists
as to whether the definition of "correctional facility" includes federal
prisons or prisons located outside of Texas.  Senate Bill 840 specifies
that a correctional facility is a place designated by the law of this
state, another state, or the federal government for the confinement of a
person arrested for, charged with, or convicted of a criminal offense.  

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. 

ANALYSIS

Senate Bill 840 amends the Government Code to modify the definition of
"correctional facility."  

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001.