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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the manner in which inmates may receive certain cash |
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payments on discharge or release from the Texas Department of |
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Criminal Justice. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 501.015, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (g) to read as |
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follows: |
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(a) When an inmate is discharged or is released on parole, |
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mandatory supervision, or conditional pardon, the department |
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[institutional division] shall provide the inmate with: |
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(1) suitable civilian clothing; |
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(2) money held in the inmate's trust account by the |
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director; and |
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(3) cash, in an amount and in the manner described by |
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Subsection (b) and, if applicable, Subsection (g). |
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(g) The department may contract with an appropriate |
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financial institution in this state, without cost to the state, to |
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make the payments to inmates required by Subsection (b) in the form |
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of a prepaid debit card that: |
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(1) authorizes the inmate in whose name the card is |
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issued to communicate a request to an unmanned teller machine or a |
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customer convenience terminal, without charge for the initial |
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transaction, or to obtain property or services by debit to an |
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account at a financial institution, without charge for any |
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point-of-sale transaction; |
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(2) is offered by a financial institution the deposits |
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of which are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation |
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and that complies with any applicable requirements of federal law; |
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and |
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(3) maintains a clear audit trail to simplify the |
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auditing process for purposes of reports to the comptroller. |
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SECTION 2. Section 499.155(c), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(c) If an inmate is discharged or released on parole or |
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mandatory supervision from a transfer facility, the inmate is |
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entitled to receive release or discharge money from the department |
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[institutional division] in the same amount and manner as an inmate |
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is entitled to receive on release or discharge from any other |
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facility of the department [institutional division] under Section |
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501.015. |
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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, 2009. |