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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to climate control requirements at facilities operated by |
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the 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. Subchapter A, Chapter 501, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 501.028 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 501.028. CLIMATE CONTROL REQUIREMENTS AT DEPARTMENT |
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FACILITIES. (a) In this section, "required temperature-controlled |
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area" means the following areas of a facility operated by the |
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department: |
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(1) hospitals; |
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(2) visiting areas; |
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(3) housing or dormitory areas; |
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(4) trustee areas; |
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(5) areas used for medical treatment or care, |
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including areas used for dispensing medication to inmates; |
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(6) kitchens or dining areas; |
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(7) food preparation areas; |
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(8) community areas, including dayrooms; |
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(9) laundry areas; |
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(10) areas used for work stations; |
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(11) indoor recreational areas, including gymnasiums; |
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(12) restroom and shower areas and other areas related |
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to inmate hygiene; |
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(13) administrative areas; |
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(14) correctional officer stations, including guard |
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post areas; |
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(15) commissary areas; |
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(16) areas used for programmatic, educational, or |
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vocational purposes; |
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(17) chapels or churches; |
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(18) libraries; and |
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(19) maintenance areas. |
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(b) The department shall ensure that: |
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(1) the temperature in each required |
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temperature-controlled area is maintained at not less than 65 |
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degrees Fahrenheit or more than 85 degrees Fahrenheit; and |
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(2) each climate control system in use at a facility |
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operated by the department includes virus-mitigation technology, |
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such as air purifiers, for the purpose of reducing the spread of |
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airborne viruses. |
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SECTION 2. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is not |
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required to comply with the requirements of Section 501.028, |
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Government Code, as added by this Act, until September 1, 2022. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the |
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legislative session. |