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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to discharging or releasing inmates from the Texas |
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Department of Criminal Justice at or near certain department |
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facilities. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 493, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Section 493.029 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 493.029. LOCAL AND REGIONAL RELEASE AND DISCHARGE |
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PROCEDURE. (a) The department shall establish a procedure through |
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which an inmate being discharged from the department or being |
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released on parole or to mandatory supervision is discharged or |
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released, as applicable, from: |
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(1) the facility in which the inmate is serving the |
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inmate's sentence; or |
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(2) the facility designated as a regional release |
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facility under Subsection (b) that is nearest to the facility in |
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which the inmate is serving the inmate's sentence. |
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(b) The department shall designate six or more facilities |
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operated by the department as regional release facilities from |
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which an inmate being discharged from the department or being |
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released on parole or to mandatory supervision may be discharged or |
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released, as applicable, rather than being released under |
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Subsection (a)(1). If the department determines that discharging |
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or releasing an inmate under Subsection (a) is not in the best |
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interest of the inmate or would threaten the safety of the public, |
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the department may release the inmate from a regional release |
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facility designated under this subsection other than the facility |
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described by Subsection (a)(2). |
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SECTION 2. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice shall |
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establish and implement the local and regional discharge and |
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release procedure required by Section 493.029, Government Code, as |
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added by this Act, as soon as possible after September 1, 2009, and |
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in no event later than September 1, 2010. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |