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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of a task force to identify opportunities |
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for academic credit and industry recognition for inmates of the |
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Texas Department of Criminal Justice. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 19, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Section 19.012 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 19.012. TASK FORCE ON ACADEMIC CREDIT AND INDUSTRY |
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RECOGNITION. (a) The Windham School District, in consultation |
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with the department, shall establish a task force to review the work |
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or other productive activities in which persons confined or |
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imprisoned in the department engage. |
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(b) The task force is composed of the following 10 members: |
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(1) two representatives of the department designated |
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by the executive director of the department; |
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(2) one representative of the district designated by |
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the superintendent of the district; |
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(3) one representative of the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board designated by the commissioner of higher |
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education; |
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(4) one representative of the Texas Workforce |
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Commission designated by the executive director of the commission; |
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(5) one representative of a private vendor operating a |
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correctional facility under a contract with the department, |
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appointed by the governor; |
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(6) three representatives of public junior colleges, |
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as defined by Section 61.003, appointed by the governor, including: |
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(A) at least one representative of a public |
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junior college that provides education services to persons confined |
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or imprisoned in the department; and |
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(B) at least one representative of a public |
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junior college that does not provide services described by |
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Paragraph (A); and |
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(7) one representative of a faith-based organization, |
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appointed by the governor. |
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(c) The governor shall designate a member of the task force |
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to serve as presiding officer. |
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(d) A vacancy on the task force shall be filled in the same |
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manner as the initial appointment. |
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(e) A member of the task force may not receive compensation |
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for service on the task force but is entitled to reimbursement for |
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actual and necessary expenses incurred in performing task force |
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duties. |
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(f) The task force may accept gifts and grants from any |
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source to be used to carry out a function of the task force. |
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(g) The task force shall meet at the call of the presiding |
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officer. |
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(h) The task force shall: |
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(1) conduct an ongoing comprehensive review of the |
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work or other productive activities in which persons confined or |
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imprisoned in the department engage; and |
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(2) identify opportunities for the award of high |
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school credit, college credit, or joint high school and college |
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credit, or the award of an industry-recognized credential or |
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certificate, for engaging in that work or activity. |
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(i) The district, in consultation with the department, the |
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Texas Education Agency, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating |
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Board, and the Texas Workforce Commission, shall, for any type of |
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work or productive activity for which an opportunity is identified |
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under Subsection (h), determine the actions necessary for obtaining |
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the award of the applicable academic credit or industry |
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recognition. |
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(j) Not later than September 1, 2021, the task force shall |
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submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the |
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house of representatives, and the standing committees of the |
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legislature having jurisdiction over the department a report that |
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summarizes the review conducted under Subsection (h) and the |
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district's actions with regard to obtaining the award of academic |
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credit or industry recognition under Subsection (i). The district |
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shall provide the task force with any information necessary to |
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complete the report. |
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(k) This section expires December 1, 2021. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than December 1, 2017, the executive |
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director of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, the |
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superintendent of the Windham School District, the commissioner of |
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higher education, the executive director of the Texas Workforce |
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Commission, and the governor shall appoint members to the task |
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force established by Section 19.012, Education Code, as added by |
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this Act, in the manner required by Subsection (b) of that section. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |