BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 3697

By: Farrar

Corrections

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

According to interested parties, it is beneficial that notification of an application for providing alternative housing for five or more unrelated persons released on parole or to mandatory supervision is made to schools and day-care facilities around the proposed alternative housing location. The goal of C.S.H.B. 3697 is to ensure such notice is provided.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 3697 amends the Government Code to require the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) to require that an applicant to participate as a provider in a program designed to provide alternative housing for five or more unrelated persons released on parole or to mandatory supervision must provide notice by mail of the applicant's request to participate in the program to each public school, including an open-enrollment charter school, private school, or day-care facility located within 1,000 feet of the proposed alternative housing location. The bill requires TDCJ to require the applicant to submit with the application, in the manner specified by TDCJ, a list of each school or facility provided notice under the bill's provisions and an affidavit of the applicant stating that the applicant has complied with the bill's provisions. The bill requires TDCJ, not later than December 1, 2017, to update application forms as necessary to implement the bill's provisions. The bill's provisions apply only to an application to participate in a program described by the bill that is submitted on or after January 1, 2018.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 3697 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and formatted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

INTRODUCED	HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
SECTION 1.  Subchapter E, Chapter 508, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 508.158 to read as follows: Sec. 508.158.  ALTERNATIVE HOUSING PROGRAM.  The department shall require that an applicant to participate as a provider in a program designed to provide alternative housing for two or more unrelated releasees must provide notice by mail of the applicant's request to participate in the program to each public school, including an open-enrollment charter school, private school, or day-care facility located within 1,000 feet of the proposed alternative housing location.  The department shall require the applicant to submit with the application, in the manner specified by the department, a list of each school or facility provided notice under this section and an affidavit of the applicant stating that the applicant has complied with this section.	SECTION 1.  Subchapter E, Chapter 508, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 508.158 to read as follows: Sec. 508.158.  ALTERNATIVE HOUSING PROGRAM.  The department shall require that an applicant to participate as a provider in a program designed to provide alternative housing for five or more unrelated releasees must provide notice by mail of the applicant's request to participate in the program to each public school, including an open-enrollment charter school, private school, or day-care facility located within 1,000 feet of the proposed alternative housing location.  The department shall require the applicant to submit with the application, in the manner specified by the department, a list of each school or facility provided notice under this section and an affidavit of the applicant stating that the applicant has complied with this section.
SECTION 2.  (a)  Not later than December 1, 2017, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shall update application forms as necessary to implement Section 508.158, Government Code, as added by this Act. (b)  Section 508.158, Government Code, as added by this Act, applies only to an application to participate in a program described by that section that is submitted on or after January 1, 2018.	SECTION 2. Same as introduced version.
SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.	SECTION 3. Same as introduced version.