BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

                                                                                                                                           H.B. 3044

                                                                                                                           By: Martinez Fischer

                                                                                                                                    County Affairs

                                                                                                       Committee Report (Unamended)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has predicted that the State of Texas will require 11,000 new prison beds.  In lieu of this, some counties, including Travis, Bexar and Fort Bend have established drug courts to process non-violent offenders. To help these counties rehabilitate drug users into productive citizens and keep them out of jail, they need the ability to build drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers. 

 

H.B. 3044 would address this by allow county commissioners courts to issue bonds authorized under Subtitle A and Chapter 1251, Government Code, for drug-related or alcohol-related rehabilitation facilities. 

 

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

 

H.B. 3044 allows county commissioners courts to issue bonds authorized under Subtitle A and Chapter 1251, Government Code, for drug-related or alcohol-related rehabilitation facilities.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2007.