C.S.H.B. 1480 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 1480 By: Allen Corrections Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The Texas Board of Criminal Justice (TBCJ) is appointed by the governor to oversee the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), which provides confinement, supervision, rehabilitation, and reintegration of the state's convicted felons. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) operates state prisons, state jails, parole, and provides funding and certain oversight of community supervision (previously known as adult probation). CSHB 1480 is designed to assist the efficient administration of TDCJ by instructing the department to study and reevaluate several policies and procedures to more effectively and efficiently manage the state's criminal justice system. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS CSHB 1480 requires the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to report to the legislature on the costs and feasibility of providing cognitive behavior training to corrections officers. The bill further requires TDCJ to conduct an organization and efficiency study in consultation with corporate efficiency specialists from the University of Texas or Texas A&M University. The study is required to include evaluation of ways to reduce transportation costs, maximize profitable and productive use of manufacturing capital investments, and reduce costs and prevent inmate idleness by aggressive use of inmate labor in construction, repairs, and maintenance. CSHB 1480 requires TDCJ to conduct an analysis and propose policy changes to increase efficiencies in complaint procedures. TDCJ is required to report to the legislature on the progress of this analysis. CSHB 1480 also requires TDCJ to implement a residential infant care and parenting program modeled after a similar program currently operated by the Texas Youth Commission. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2003 COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE The substitute modifies the original by removing the provisions regarding an annual TDCJ organizational evaluation, a correctional officer certification process, and a privatization analysis. The substitute further modifies the original by removing the requirement on Texas Correctional Industries to increase the number of products purchased by TDCJ and to study how TCI may provide cost-effective maintenance services to TDCJ. The substitute does not include a provision to study the reorganization of educational and vocational programs in TDCJ, nor does it include a study of allocation policy. CSHB 1480 also differs from the original by removing the provisions requiring the Board of Pardons and Paroles to study how to reduce technical revocations and the provisions requiring the community justice assistance division to determine whether the added cost to the state due to imprisonment of individuals because of technical violations is a cost that should be recovered by a reduction in per diem payments. Finally, the substitute removes the provision which requires which requires the Board of Criminal Justice to determine whether the expenditure of resources for educational and vocational services provides significant improvement in rehabilitation or reductions in recidivism rates. CSHB 1480 differs from the original by adding provisions to require TDCJ to study the costs and feasibility of providing cognitive behavior training to corrections officers, to conduct an organization and efficiency study, to conduct an analysis and propose policy changes to increase efficiencies in complaint procedures, and to implement a residential infant care and parenting program.