BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1968

By: Deshotel

Corrections

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Jefferson County previously donated property to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department. The property once housed juvenile prisoners and is surrounded by other prison units. The property has since closed and is not being used. Because the property no longer serves any necessary state purpose, H.B. 1968 seeks to transfer that state property from the Texas Juvenile Justice Department back to Jefferson County.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 1968 requires the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) to donate and transfer to Jefferson County real property as described by the bill not later than January 31, 2014. The bill restricts the county's use of the property to a purpose that benefits the public interest of the state and establishes that ownership of the property automatically reverts to TJJD if the county uses the property for any other purpose. The bill requires TJJD to transfer the property by an appropriate instrument of transfer and sets out instrument requirements.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2013.