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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a policy regarding the receipt of books by mail by an |
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inmate in 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. Subchapter A, Chapter 501, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 501.0051 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 501.0051. RECEIPT OF BOOKS BY MAIL. (a) The |
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department shall establish a policy that permits an inmate to |
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receive by mail reference books and other educational materials |
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from a volunteer organization that operates programs described by |
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Section 501.009, regardless of whether the organization provides |
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those programs to inmates housed in facilities operated by the |
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department. |
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(b) The department may adopt rules as necessary to implement |
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this section, including rules that define the terms "reference |
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books" and "educational materials." |
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SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shall |
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establish the policy required by Section 501.0051, Government Code, |
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as added by 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, 2009. |