Honorable Jim Murphy, Chair, House Committee on Corrections
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB1084 by Márquez (Relating to the reporting of certain information regarding inmates and the use of administrative segregation by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.), As Introduced
The bill is expected to result in significant security and programming costs to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice; however, the actual costs are indeterminate at this time.
The bill would amend Government Code, Chapter 493, to require the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) to submit an annual report providing detailed information about its prison population and comparing a variety of factors, including recidivism, between inmates in the general population and inmates in administrative segregation.
The bill would amend Government Code, Chapter 501, requiring TDCJ to conduct a review of administrative segregation policies, and to develop a plan to reduce the use of administrative segregation and increase the opportunities for administrative segregation offenders to participate in programs and services as described by the bill.
TDCJ indicates there would be no significant fiscal impact related to submitting an annual report and developing an administrative segregation plan as described in the bill. TDCJ reports the costs of additional security precautions and programming for the implementation of the plan would likely be significant, but are indeterminate until such time as decisions are made regarding program and security changes resulting from the plan.
The bill would take effect immediately upon receiving a two-thirds majority vote in each house, otherwise the bill would take effect September 1, 2015.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.