81R20848 KCR-D

By: Madden, McReynolds H.B. No. 2289

Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2289:

By: McReynolds C.S.H.B. No. 2289

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to discharging or releasing inmates from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice at or near certain department facilities.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 493, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 493.029 to read as follows:

Sec. 493.029. LOCAL AND REGIONAL RELEASE AND DISCHARGE PROCEDURE. (a) The department shall establish a procedure through which an inmate being discharged from the department or being released on parole or to mandatory supervision is discharged or released, as applicable, from:

(1) the facility in which the inmate is serving the inmate's sentence; or

(2) the facility designated as a regional release facility under Subsection (b) that is nearest to the facility in which the inmate is serving the inmate's sentence.

(b) The department shall designate six or more facilities operated by the department as regional release facilities from which an inmate being discharged from the department or being released on parole or to mandatory supervision may be discharged or released, as applicable, rather than being released under Subsection (a)(1). If the department determines that discharging or releasing an inmate under Subsection (a) is not in the best interest of the inmate or would threaten the safety of the public, the department may release the inmate from a regional release facility designated under this subsection other than the facility described by Subsection (a)(2).

SECTION 2. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice shall establish and implement the local and regional discharge and release procedure required by Section 493.029, Government Code, as added by this Act, as soon as possible after September 1, 2009, and in no event later than September 1, 2010.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.