By:  Hodge (Senate Sponsor - Whitmire)                            H.B. No. 28 
	(In the Senate - Received from the House April 7, 2003; 
April 9, 2003, read first time and referred to Committee on 
Criminal Justice; May 21, 2003, reported favorably by the 
following vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 21, 2003, sent to printer.)


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT


relating to rehabilitation programs for defendants housed in state 
jail felony facilities.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 507, Government Code, is 
amended by adding Section 507.033 to read as follows:
	Sec. 507.033.  REHABILITATION PROGRAMS. (a) The state jail 
division may allow a defendant who is capable of serving as a tutor 
to tutor functionally illiterate defendants and shall actively 
encourage volunteer organizations to aid in the tutoring of 
defendants.  A person who acts as a tutor may function only as a 
teacher and advisor to a defendant and may not exercise supervisory 
authority or control over the defendant.
	(b)  The state jail division shall actively encourage 
volunteer organizations to provide the following programs for 
defendants who are housed in facilities operated by or under 
contract with the division:
		(1)  literacy and education programs;                                  
		(2)  life skills programs;                                             
		(3)  job skills programs;                                              
		(4)  parent-training programs;                                         
		(5)  drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs;                         
		(6)  support group programs;                                           
		(7)  arts and crafts programs; and                                     
		(8)  other programs determined by the division to aid 
defendants confined in state jail felony facilities in the 
transition from confinement or supervision back into society and to 
reduce incidents of recidivism among defendants.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this 
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 
Act takes effect September 1, 2003.



* * * * *