By:  Lewis                                                        H.B. No. 2927



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the implementation of a project for reintegration of 
offenders into the labor force.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 306.005, Labor Code, is amended to read 
as follows:      
	Sec. 306.005.  MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING--CONTENTS.  (a)  
The memorandum of understanding between the department and the 
commission must establish the role of:
		(1)  the institutional division and the state jail 
division in ascertaining and encouraging an inmate's chances for 
employment by:
			(A)  providing vocational and educational 
assessment for the person while incarcerated;
			(B)  developing a skills enhancement program for 
the person while incarcerated, in cooperation with other 
governmental, educational, and private entities, using available 
public or private financial resources authorized by statute; [and]
			(C)  referring the person on release to the 
project through the person's parole officer or supervision officer;  
and
			(D)  assigning to the person a licensed social 
worker employed under Section 501.098 or 507.033, Government Code, 
to coordinate with applicable local workforce development boards to 
encourage and monitor the progress of the person with respect to the 
project;
		(2)  the community justice assistance division and the 
pardons and paroles division of the department in:
			(A)  encouraging and referring persons to the 
project; and                 
			(B)  ensuring that those persons participate in 
the project and avail themselves of its services; and
		(3)  the commission in developing and maintaining a 
statewide network for finding positions of employment that require 
the skills possessed by project participants and in helping those 
participants to secure employment.
	(b)  The memorandum of understanding between the Texas Youth 
Commission and the commission must establish the roles of the 
institutional and community services division in the Texas Youth 
Commission and the role of the commission in the same manner the 
roles of the department and commission are established under 
Subsection (a), except that the Texas Youth Commission is not 
required to employ or assign a licensed social worker as described 
by Subsection (a)(1)(D).
	SECTION 2.  Section 306.007(a), Labor Code, is amended to 
read as follows:   
	(a)  To assist in the reintegration into the labor force of 
persons formerly sentenced to the institutional division or the 
state jail division, the commission through Project RIO shall 
provide:
		(1)  to those persons:                                                        
			(A)  information from local workforce development 
boards on job training and employment referral services;
			(B)  information from the Texas Commission on 
Alcohol and Drug Abuse on substance abuse treatment services;
			(C)  information from the Texas Department of 
Housing and Community Affairs on housing services;
			(D)  information from the Texas Veterans 
Commission on services for veterans; [and]
			(E)  information from the Texas Department of 
Human Services on tax refund voucher programs under Subchapter D, 
Chapter 31, Human Resources Code; and
			(F)  other information associated with a 
successful reintegration of those persons into the labor force, 
including information regarding counseling and spiritual resources 
available in the community; and
		(2)  to the employers and potential employers of those 
persons:             
			(A)  information from the Texas Department of 
Economic Development [Commerce] on the enterprise zone program and 
smart jobs fund program; and
			(B)  information from local workforce development 
boards on services listed in Section 2308.304, Government Code.
	SECTION 3.  Subchapter C, Chapter 501, Government Code, is 
amended by adding Section 501.098 to read as follows:
	Sec. 501.098.  LICENSED SOCIAL WORKERS PARTICIPATING IN 
PROJECT RIO.  The institutional division shall employ a sufficient 
number of social workers licensed under Chapter 505, Occupations 
Code, to participate in the project for reintegration of offenders 
into the labor force as described by Chapter 306, Labor Code.
	SECTION 4.  Subchapter B, Chapter 507, Government Code, is 
amended by adding Section 507.033 to read as follows:
	Sec. 507.033.  LICENSED SOCIAL WORKERS PARTICIPATING IN 
PROJECT RIO.  The state jail division shall employ a sufficient 
number of social workers licensed under Chapter 505, Occupations 
Code, to participate in the project for reintegration of offenders 
into the labor force as described by Chapter 306, Labor Code.
	SECTION 5.  The change in law made by this Act applies only 
to a person who is discharged or released from confinement or 
imprisonment on or after the effective date of this Act.
	SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2004.