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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the development and use of an inmate skills development |
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assessment instrument by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. |
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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 493.032 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 493.032. SKILLS DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT. (a) The |
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department shall develop an inmate skills development assessment |
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instrument to evaluate the functional capacity of an inmate in the |
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following areas: |
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(1) academic ability, including intellectual |
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functioning, literacy, and language skills; |
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(2) vocational and career development, including |
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employment history, career development, institutional work |
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history, and prospects for post-incarceration employment; |
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(3) establishing and maintaining interpersonal |
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relationships, including the existence of any ongoing contact with |
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family members or other support systems, the ability to fulfill |
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parental responsibilities and duties, and communication skills; |
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(4) wellness maintenance, including health promotion |
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and disease prevention, disease and illness management, and |
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knowledge concerning eligibility for and procedures for obtaining |
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governmental assistance; |
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(5) mental health maintenance, including substance |
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abuse management, mental illness management, and the ability to |
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identify and manage inappropriate sexual behavior; |
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(6) general behavior, including cognitive behavior, |
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criminal behavior and history, and history of domestic violence or |
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other abuse; |
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(7) character, including personal characteristics and |
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personal responsibilities; |
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(8) leisure activities, including the appropriate use |
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of leisure time; and |
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(9) skills needed in daily life, including financial |
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management, the ability to secure and maintain housing, and skills |
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needed to care for one's family. |
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(b) The department shall consult with the Texas |
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Correctional Office on Offenders with Medical and Mental |
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Impairments, the Department of State Health Services, the |
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Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services, and the Texas |
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Workforce Commission in developing the inmate skills development |
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assessment instrument under Subsection (a). |
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(c) The department shall: |
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(1) not later than the 90th day after the date an |
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inmate is placed in the custody of the department, evaluate the |
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inmate using the inmate skills development assessment instrument |
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developed under Subsection (a); |
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(2) use the inmate skills development assessment |
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instrument under Subsection (a) as a guide in deciding the |
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rehabilitative services and programs in which to place an inmate; |
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(3) maintain a record for each inmate of the results of |
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any inmate skills development assessment administered under this |
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section; |
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(4) not later than the 90th day before any release or |
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discharge date applicable to an inmate, reevaluate the inmate using |
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the inmate skills development assessment instrument to prepare a |
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post-incarceration transition plan for the inmate; and |
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(5) as soon as practicable after the reevaluation of |
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an inmate under Subdivision (4) and not later than the 30th day |
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before any release or discharge date applicable to an inmate, |
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provide the results of the reevaluation and the post-incarceration |
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transition plan to any reentry or reintegration office operated by |
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the county or municipality into which the inmate will be released or |
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discharged. |
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(d) The department may periodically reevaluate an inmate |
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using the inmate skills development assessment instrument to |
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determine the inmate's progress in skill development and, if |
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necessary, to place the inmate in different rehabilitative services |
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and programs. |
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SECTION 2. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice shall |
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develop the inmate skills development assessment instrument as |
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required by Section 493.032, Government Code, as added by this Act, |
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not later than April 1, 2010. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |