BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

                                                                                                                                               H.B. 47

                                                                                                                                          By: Hodge

                                                                                                                                          Corrections

                                                                                                       Committee Report (Unamended)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

Rider 48, Department of Criminal Justice, 77th Legislative General Appropriations Act states that the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) shall not provide in-cell tutoring for inmates who are in administrative segregation (ad seg).  Offenders housed in ad seg are often there due to gang affiliation, and can be discharged back into the community directly from ad seg.  H.B. 47 permits TDCJ to establish a policy to provide in-cell education for ad seg offenders if the offender would benefit from the education and if the education can be provided without posing a threat to staff or an inmate. 

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

It is the opinion of the committee that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

 

ANALYSIS

 

H.B. 47 amends Subchapter A, Chapter 501, Government Code, by permitting TDCJ to establish a policy to provide in-cell education to an inmate confined in administrative segregation if the inmate would benefit from the education, and if the education can be provided in a way that does not pose a threat to the health or safety of any department staff member or other inmate.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

This Act takes effect immediately, if the Act does not receive the necessary votes, this Act takes effect on September 1, 2007.