81R6121 HLT-D

By: Christian H.B. No. 4178

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the creation of the Reentry Policy Council to review corrections policies, programs, and procedures for inmates released into the community.

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

SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 4, Government Code, is amended by adding Chapter 415 to read as follows:

CHAPTER 415. REENTRY POLICY COUNCIL

Sec. 415.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "council" means the Reentry Policy Council.

Sec. 415.002. COUNCIL; COMPOSITION. (a) The Reentry Policy Council is created.

(b) The council is composed of the following 33 members:

(1) the director of the criminal justice division of the governor's office or the director's designee;

(2) the executive director of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice or the executive director's designee;

(3) the director of the parole division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice or the director's designee;

(4) the director of the community justice assistance division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice or the director's designee;

(5) the director of the rehabilitation and reentry programs division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice or the director's designee;

(6) the director of the Texas Correctional Office on Offenders with Medical or Mental Impairments or the director's designee;

(7) the executive director of the Texas Workforce Commission or the executive director's designee;

(8) the executive commissioner of the Texas Youth Commission or the executive commissioner's designee;

(9) the executive director of the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission or the executive director's designee;

(10) the chair of the Task Force on Indigent Defense or the chair's designee;

(11) the chair of the Texas Judicial Council or the chair's designee;

(12) the assistant commissioner for the mental health and substance abuse services division of the Department of State Health Services;

(13) the commissioner of the Department of Aging and Disability Services or the commissioner's designee;

(14) the commissioner of education of the Texas Education Agency or the commissioner's designee;

(15) the executive director of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation or the executive director's designee;

(16) the executive director of the Department of Family and Protective Services or the executive director's designee;

(17) the executive director of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs or the executive director's designee;

(18) the executive director of the Council on Sex Offender Treatment or the executive director's designee;

(19) the public safety director of the Department of Public Safety or the director's designee;

(20) the executive director of the Sheriffs' Association of Texas or the executive director's designee;

(21) the executive director of the Texas District and County Attorneys Association or the executive director's designee;

(22) the executive director of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association or the executive director's designee;

(23) the executive director of Texas RioGrande Legal Aid or the executive director's designee;

(24) the executive director of the Restorative Justice Ministries Network of Texas or the executive director's designee;

(25) the executive director of the Texas Conference of Urban Counties or the executive director's designee;

(26) the presiding officer of the Austin/Travis County Reentry Roundtable or the presiding officer's designee;

(27) the presiding officer of the Bexar County Re-Entry Roundtable or the presiding officer's designee;

(28) a representative of the Tarrant County Reentry Initiative, appointed by the county judge of Tarrant County;

(29) the director of the City of Houston Department of Health and Human Services or the director's designee;

(30) the presiding officer of the standing committee of the house of representatives with primary jurisdiction over corrections issues or the presiding officer's designee;

(31) the presiding officer of the standing committee of the senate with primary jurisdiction over corrections issues or the presiding officer's designee;

(32) one public member who resides in Dallas County and has experience working on reentry issues, appointed by the county judge of Dallas County; and

(33) one public member who resides in El Paso County and has experience working on reentry issues, appointed by the county judge of El Paso County.

Sec. 415.003. DUTIES; ANNUAL REPORT. (a) The council shall:

(1) analyze the statutory and regulatory obstacles to, and practices that impede, the reintegration of offenders into the community following their release or discharge;

(2) examine methods of pooling resources and revenue streams to reduce the rate of recidivism among offenders;

(3) identify best practices that have proven to be effective in reentry support, treatment, and intervention intended to reduce the harmful effects of an offender's confinement on the offender's family and community;

(4) advise the governor and the director of the criminal justice division of the governor's office on effective reentry policies and programs that can be funded through federal, state, and private grants; and

(5) perform any other duties required by the Second Chance Act of 2007 (Pub. L. No. 110-199).

(b) Not later than September 1 of each year, the council shall deliver a report of the council's findings and recommendations to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the standing committees of the house of representatives and the senate with primary jurisdiction over corrections matters.

Sec. 415.004. TENURE OF MEMBERS. (a) An appointed member of the council serves a two-year term.

(b) A member who serves on the council by virtue of the member's office serves on the council for the period during which the member holds that office.

Sec. 415.005. COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT. A member of the council serves without compensation but, from funds appropriated to the criminal justice division of the governor's office, is entitled to reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of official council duties as provided by Chapter 660.

Sec. 415.006. PRESIDING OFFICER. The council shall select from among its members a presiding officer of the council.

Sec. 415.007. MEETINGS. The council shall meet at the call of the presiding officer.

Sec. 415.008. TECHNICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANCE. The criminal justice division of the governor's office shall provide the council with resources for:

(1) data collection, research, and analysis; and

(2) publication of the council's findings and reports.

Sec. 415.009. GRANTS AND DONATIONS. The council may accept grants and donations from public and private entities.

Sec. 415.010. CONSTRUCTION WITH OTHER LAW. Chapter 2110 does not apply to the council.

Sec. 415.011. SUNSET PROVISION; COUNCIL ABOLISHED. The council is subject to Chapter 325 (Texas Sunset Act). Unless continued in existence as provided by that chapter, the council is abolished and this chapter expires September 1, 2013.

SECTION 2. (a) Not later than the 60th day after the effective date of this Act, the county judge of Dallas County, the county judge of El Paso County, and the county judge of Tarrant County shall make the appointments required by Chapter 415, Government Code, as added by this Act.

(b) The Reentry Policy Council shall submit the first report required by Section 415.003, Government Code, as added by this Act, not later than September 1, 2010.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2009.