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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to contracts between the Texas Board of Criminal Justice |
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and private vendors for the use of inmate labor to construct fences |
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along the Texas-Mexico border. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 497, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 497.098 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 497.098. CONTRACTS WITH PRIVATE VENDORS TO CONSTRUCT |
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FENCES ALONG TEXAS-MEXICO BORDER. (a) To further public safety and |
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on the request of a landowner who owns land that abuts the |
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Texas-Mexico border, the board may enter into a contract with a |
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private vendor to construct a segment of fence along the |
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Texas-Mexico border in accordance with the rules adopted by the |
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board under Subsection (b). |
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(b) The board, in consultation with the office of the |
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governor, shall adopt rules to implement the fence construction |
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program authorized by this section. The rules must require: |
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(1) the private vendor to design and oversee |
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construction of a razor wire fence that is 12 feet in height along |
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that portion of the Texas-Mexico border that abuts land owned by the |
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requesting landowner; |
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(2) the department to make available to the private |
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vendor the use of sufficient inmate labor by inmates the department |
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has classified as trusties to perform the labor involved in |
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constructing the fence; |
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(3) the department to comply with restrictions |
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described by Section 497.083 and to provide adequate security to |
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prevent any trusty from escaping, including the use of electronic |
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monitoring; |
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(4) the department to communicate to the Texas |
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Workforce Commission about job skills acquired by the trusties, for |
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the purpose of facilitating job placement after the trusties' |
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release from confinement; and |
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(5) the department to implement procedures designed to |
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maximize the job skills training acquired by participating |
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trusties. |
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SECTION 2. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice shall |
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adopt the rules required by Section 497.098, Government Code, as |
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added by this Act, not later than 90 days after the effective date |
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of this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |