78R420 GWK-F

By:  Hodge                                                        H.B. No. 192



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to reviews by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice on 
the effect of race and ethnicity on decisions relating to good 
conduct time classifications and disciplinary matters.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 501.001, Government Code, is amended to 
read as follows: 
	Sec. 501.001.  DISCRIMINATION AGAINST INMATES PROHIBITED.  
(a) The institutional division and the director of the 
institutional division may not discriminate against an inmate on 
the basis of the inmate's sex, race, color, creed, or national 
origin.
	(b)  The director of the institutional division shall before 
January 1 of each odd-numbered year review decisions made during 
the preceding two years by the division in its various units 
regarding inmate disciplinary matters and good conduct time 
classifications.  On the basis of the review, the director shall 
determine whether race or ethnicity  was a factor in either 
decision-making process.  If the director determines that decisions 
in a unit differed on the basis of the race or ethnicity of an inmate 
who was the subject of a decision involving disciplinary matters or 
good conduct time classification, the director shall further 
investigate the decision-making process at the unit and require the 
warden of the unit to correct inequalities.
	SECTION 2.  The first review of decision-making required by 
Section 501.001, Government Code, as amended by this Act, must be 
completed before January 1, 2005.
	SECTION 3.  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.