By: Carona, Rodriguez S.B. No. 1003

Van de Putte

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a review of and report regarding the use of adult and juvenile administrative segregation in facilities in this state.

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

SECTION 1. DEFINITION. In this Act, "facility" means:

(1) a facility operated by or under contract with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice;

(2) a facility operated by a municipality, or a private vendor on behalf of a municipality, for the confinement of a person arrested for, charged with, or convicted of a criminal offense; or

(3) a public or private juvenile secure detention facility.

SECTION 2. REVIEW OF ADMINISTRATIVE SEGREGATION POLICIES. The Criminal Justice Legislative Oversight Committee shall appoint an independent third party to conduct a review of facilities in this state regarding the facilities' use of adult and juvenile administrative segregation and related statistics, including:

(1) classification to administrative segregation and release from administrative segregation;

(2) security threat group classification;

(3) notification of release and release procedures;

(4) access of adults and juveniles confined in administrative segregation to:

(A) mental health services;

(B) health care services;

(C) substance abuse programs and services;

(D) reentry resources and transitional programs and services; and

(E) other programs and services that are available to the general adult and juvenile population;

(5) access of adults confined in administrative segregation to programs and services for adults who are veterans;

(6) the number of adults and juveniles confined in administrative segregation who were referred to mental health professionals;

(7) the average length of time adults and juveniles were continuously confined in administrative segregation; and

(8) the rate of recidivism among adults and juveniles who were confined in administrative segregation at any time.

SECTION 3. REPORT. Not later than December 31, 2014, the independent third party shall provide a report of the third party's findings and recommendations to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the standing legislative committees with primary jurisdiction over criminal justice matters. At a minimum, the report must contain detailed recommendations to:

(1) reduce the administrative segregation population in facilities in this state;

(2) divert adults and juveniles with mental illness from administrative segregation; and

(3) decrease the length of time adults and juveniles are confined in administrative segregation in facilities in this state.

SECTION 4. PUBLIC INFORMATION. Chapter 552, Government Code, applies to:

(1) the review conducted by the independent third party under this Act and all information gathered and analyzed for that review, including background research and any report or summary; and

(2) the report submitted by the independent third party under Section 3 of this Act.

SECTION 5. EXPIRATION. This Act expires February 1, 2015.

SECTION 6. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.