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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to offender education facilitation. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 1.001(b), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) Except as provided by Chapter 18, Chapter 19, Subchapter |
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A, Chapter 29, or Subchapter E, Chapter 30, this code does not apply |
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to students, facilities, or programs under the jurisdiction of the |
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Department of Aging and Disability Services, the Department of |
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State Health Services, the Health and Human Services Commission, |
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the Texas Youth Commission, the Texas Department of Criminal |
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Justice, any federal corrections agency, a Job Corps program |
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operated by or under contract with the United States Department of |
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Labor, or any juvenile probation agency. |
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SECTION 2. Section 19.005, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding subsections (c), (d), and (e) to read as follows: |
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(c) Each institution of higher education or private or |
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independent institution of higher education that operates under |
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this Chapter shall accept the Test of Adult Basic Education scores |
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for purposes of placement in academic courses for persons under the |
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jurisdiction of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. |
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(d) Each institution of higher education or private or |
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independent institution of higher education that receives state |
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funding shall provide transcripts of persons under the jurisdiction |
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of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice or persons under the |
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jurisdiction of the federal government to other institutions of |
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higher education or private or independent institutions of higher |
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education that receive state funding. |
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(e) Offenders in federal custody located in the state of |
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Texas and persons in the custody of the Texas Department of Criminal |
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Justice shall be considered residents of this state for purposes of |
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tuition and other educational opportunities at institutions of |
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higher education. |
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SECTION 3. Section 499.155, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending subsection (a) and adding subsection (b-1) to read as |
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follows: |
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(a) Except as provided by Subsections Subsection (b) and |
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(b-1), the institutional division may not confine an inmate |
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described by Section 499.152 in a transfer facility authorized by |
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this subchapter for a period that exceeds the maximum period for |
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which a state jail felon may be confined in a state jail felony |
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facility under Section 12.35, Penal Code. |
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(b-1) An inmate in a transfer facility authorized by this |
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subchapter may be retained in that facility past the period |
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specified by Subsection (a) if retention in the facility would |
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allow the completion of an educational degree. |
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SECTION 4. Section 507.033, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding subsection (c) to read as follows: |
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(c) State jail facilities within the Texas Department of |
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Criminal Justice may be profiled to accept offenders for college |
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programs. An offender may request transfer to such a facility that |
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provides college programming. |
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SECTION 5. Section 508.183, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding subsection (c) to read as follows: |
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(c) The Texas Department of Criminal Justice shall adopt |
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rules allowing an offender to receive early release based on |
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academic success. |
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SECTION 6. This bill is effective September 1, 2007. |