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.