S.B. No. 578
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to providing inmates of the Texas Department of Criminal
  Justice with information regarding reentry and reintegration
  resources.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 501, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 501.0971 to read as follows:
         Sec. 501.0971.  PROVISION OF REENTRY AND REINTEGRATION
  INFORMATION TO INMATES. (a)  The department shall identify
  organizations that provide reentry and reintegration resource
  guides and shall collaborate with those organizations to prepare a
  resource guide that is to be made available to all inmates. At a
  minimum, the department shall collaborate with:
               (1)  nonprofit entities that specialize in criminal
  justice issues;
               (2)  faith-based organizations; and
               (3)  organizations that:
                     (A)  offer pro bono legal services to inmates; or
                     (B)  are composed of the families and friends of
  inmates.
         (b)  The department shall make the resource guide available
  in the Windham School District libraries and in each of the
  following areas of a correctional facility:
               (1)  peer educator classrooms;
               (2)  chapels;
               (3)  reintegration specialist offices; and
               (4)  any area or classroom that is used by the
  department for the purpose of providing information about reentry
  to inmates.
         (c)  The department shall make available a sufficient number
  of copies of the resource guide to ensure that each inmate is able
  to access the resource guide in a timely manner.
         (d)  The department shall identify organizations described
  by Subsection (a) that provide information described by Subsection
  (e) and shall collaborate with those organizations to compile
  county-specific information packets for inmates.  The department
  shall, within the 180-day period preceding the date an inmate will
  discharge the inmate's sentence or is released on parole, mandatory
  supervision, or conditional pardon, provide the inmate with a
  county-specific information packet for the county that the inmate
  designates as the inmate's intended residence.
         (e)  At the minimum, a county-specific packet described by
  Subsection (d) must include, for the applicable county:
               (1)  contact information, including telephone numbers,
  e-mail addresses, physical locations, and mailing addresses, as
  applicable, of:
                     (A)  workforce offices, housing options, places
  of worship, support groups, peer-to-peer counseling groups, and
  other relevant organizations or agencies as determined by the
  department and the collaborating organization;
                     (B)  agencies and organizations that offer
  emergency assistance, such as food and clothing banks, temporary
  bus passes, low-cost medical assistance, and overnight and
  temporary housing; and
                     (C)  agencies and organizations that offer mental
  health counseling; and
               (2)  information necessary for the inmate to apply for
  governmental assistance or benefits, including Medicaid, social
  security benefits, or nutritional assistance programs under
  Chapter 33, Human Resources Code.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
 
 
 
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 578 passed the Senate on
  April 9, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that
  the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 13, 2015, by the
  following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 578 passed the House, with
  amendment, on May 5, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 145, Nays 0,
  two present not voting.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
 
  Approved:
 
  ______________________________ 
              Date
 
 
  ______________________________ 
            Governor