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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of the Texas State Jail Committee to |
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study and make recommendations concerning the state jail system. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: |
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(1) "Committee" means the Texas State Jail Committee. |
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(2) "Department" means the Texas Department of |
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Criminal Justice. |
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(3) "State jail" means a state jail felony facility |
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operated by or under contract with the department under Section |
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507.001, Government Code. |
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SECTION 2. ESTABLISHMENT; COMPOSITION. (a) The committee |
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is established to provide objective research, analysis, and |
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recommendations to help guide state criminal justice policies and |
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practices relating to state jails. |
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(b) The committee is composed of the following 10 members: |
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(1) one member of the Senate Committee on Criminal |
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Justice appointed by the lieutenant governor; |
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(2) one member of either the House Committee on |
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Corrections or the House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence |
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appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; |
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(3) one representative of the department designated by |
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the department; |
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(4) one representative of a community supervision and |
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corrections department established under Chapter 76, Government |
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Code, designated by the community justice assistance division of |
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the department; and |
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(5) six members appointed by the governor, consisting |
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of: |
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(A) one member who is a district or county |
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attorney in this state; |
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(B) one member who is a criminal defense attorney |
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in this state; |
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(C) two members who have expertise in the state |
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jail system and are members of an advocacy or civil rights |
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organization; and |
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(D) two members who have expertise in issues |
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related to criminal justice and criminal law. |
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SECTION 3. POWERS AND DUTIES. The committee shall: |
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(1) use statistical analyses and other research |
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methods to conduct an in-depth examination of the state jail system |
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in this state that includes: |
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(A) an assessment of the cost-effectiveness of |
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the use of state jails; |
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(B) an assessment of the use and results of |
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programs available in state jails, including vocational, |
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rehabilitation, and treatment services; |
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(C) identification of any critical gap in the |
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continuum of care provided to inmates after release, including a |
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gap in services, treatment, and rehabilitative programs; |
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(D) identification of critical problems in the |
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state jail system, including an assessment of recidivism rates of |
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state jail releasees and recommendations to reduce those rates; and |
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(E) a determination of the long-range needs of |
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the state jail system; |
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(2) recommend to the legislature and the department: |
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(A) strategies to solve the problems or issues |
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identified in Subdivision (1) of this section; and |
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(B) policy priorities to address the long-range |
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needs identified in Subdivision (1) of this section; and |
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(3) advise and assist the legislature and the |
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department in developing plans, programs, and proposed legislation |
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to improve the efficacy of the state jail system. |
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SECTION 4. MEETINGS. The committee shall meet not less than |
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six times from the time the committee is established until December |
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1, 2014. |
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SECTION 5. STAFF; AUTHORITY TO CONTRACT. The committee may |
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hire staff or may contract with universities or other suitable |
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entities to assist the committee in carrying out the committee's |
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duties. |
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SECTION 6. REPORT. (a) Not later than January 1, 2015, the |
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committee shall submit to the department, including the community |
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justice assistance division of the department, the governor, the |
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lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, |
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and the standing committees in the senate and house of |
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representatives primarily responsible for criminal justice issues |
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a report containing the recommendations described in Section 3(2) |
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of this Act. |
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(b) The department shall make the report submitted under |
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Subsection (a) of this section available to the public and shall |
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publish the report on its Internet website. |
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SECTION 7. APPOINTMENTS. Not later than the 60th day after |
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the effective date of this Act, the governor, the lieutenant |
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governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the |
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department shall make the appointments and designations required by |
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Section 2 of this Act. |
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SECTION 8. EXPIRATION. The committee is abolished and this |
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Act expires February 1, 2015. |
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SECTION 9. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect |
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immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members |
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elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas |
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Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for |
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immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |