By: Bolton, et al. Senate Sponsor-Hinojosa H.B. No. 3309

(In the Senate - Received from the House April 30, 2007; May 2, 2007, read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal Justice; May 21, 2007, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 21, 2007, sent to printer.)

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 3309 By: Hinojosa

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the ability of certain advocacy and support groups to provide services for children confined in Texas Youth Commission facilities.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Human Resources Code, is amended by adding Section 61.0386 to read as follows:

Sec. 61.0386. ADVOCACY AND SUPPORT GROUPS. (a) The commission shall allow advocacy and support groups whose primary functions are to benefit children, inmates, girls and women, the mentally ill, and victims of sexual assault to provide on-site information, support, and other services for children confined in commission facilities.

(b) The commission shall adopt security and privacy procedures for advocacy and support groups that provide on-site information, support, and other services under this section. The security and privacy procedures may not be designed to deny an advocacy or support group access to children confined in commission facilities.

(c) The commission shall adopt standards consistent with standards adopted by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice regarding the confidential correspondence of children confined in commission facilities with external entities, including advocacy and support groups.

SECTION 2. 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, 2007.

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