BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 78

By: Nelson

State Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties suggest that children in foster care should have more access to educational technology and more opportunities for digital engagement and empowerment. S.B. 78 seeks to address these issues by revising the entities to whom the Texas Department of Criminal Justice may dispose of certain computing and processing equipment.

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

S.B. 78 amends the Government Code to specify that the order of preference for the entities that the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) is required to sell repaired or refurbished data processing equipment to, if it is economically feasible, is a school district, a state agency, and a political subdivision of the state. The bill adds, for use by children or youth in foster care and as the least preferred entities to whom TDCJ is required to make such a sale to, a local volunteer advocate program or a statewide nonprofit organization exempt from certain federal income taxation that is composed of individuals or groups of individuals who have expertise in the dynamics of child abuse and neglect and experience in operating volunteer advocate programs to provide training, technical assistance, and evaluation services for the benefit of local volunteer advocate programs.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.