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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to establishing a peer education program for offenders in |
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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 501.0052 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 501.0052. OFFENDER PEER EDUCATION. (a) The |
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department shall establish a program to authorize inmates who |
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possess specialized skills or education to provide instruction to |
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other inmates through voluntary workshops. The department shall |
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determine the types of workshops that may be offered and shall |
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emphasize workshops that encourage the general dissemination of |
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knowledge, enhance critical thinking skills, and increase the |
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literacy of participating inmates. |
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(b) The department shall establish minimum requirements for |
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participation in the program, including the requirements of inmates |
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who will provide instruction to other inmates. The department |
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shall establish a training course in workshop facilitation and |
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shall require an inmate to complete the course before the inmate may |
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provide instruction to other inmates. |
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(c) Each inmate who is providing instruction through a |
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workshop must determine the curriculum for the workshop. A |
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workshop curriculum must be at least six weeks and not more than 12 |
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weeks in length and must include at least two meetings per week. |
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The department shall allow an inmate providing instruction through |
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the program to use the resources of the Windham School District |
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libraries in preparing a curriculum or course materials for a |
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workshop. |
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(d) An inmate providing instruction to another inmate may |
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only function as a teacher and advisor to the inmate and may not |
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exercise supervisory authority or control over the inmate. |
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(e) The department may consider the results of any |
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examination conducted in a workshop and the level of participation |
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in a workshop in determining the effectiveness of the workshop. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than December 1, 2013, the Texas |
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Department of Criminal Justice shall adopt rules necessary to |
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implement Section 501.0052, Government Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |