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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to post-release housing for inmates released on parole or |
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to mandatory supervision. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 508.157, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsections (f) and (g) to read |
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as follows: |
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(b) The [If the department does not operate or contract for |
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the operation of a residential correctional facility in the county |
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of legal residence of an inmate or releasee, the] department may |
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issue, for an inmate described by Subsection (a) or for a releasee, |
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payment for the cost of temporary post-release housing that: |
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(1) meets any conditions or requirements imposed by a |
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parole panel; |
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(2) meets or exceeds the standards developed by the |
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Reentry Housing Task Force; and |
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(3) is located in the county of legal residence of the |
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inmate or releasee[; and |
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[(3) except as provided by Subsection (e-1), is in a |
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structure that existed on June 1, 2009, as a multifamily residence |
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or as a motel to which Section 156.001, Tax Code, applies]. |
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(f) The department shall actively seek grants from any |
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source for the purpose of expanding the use of temporary |
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post-release housing payments under Subsection (b) as an |
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alternative to housing an inmate described by Subsection (a) or a |
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releasee in a residential correctional facility. Notwithstanding |
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Subsection (d), the department may issue payments under Subsection |
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(b) out of grant funds received for that purpose. |
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(g) The department shall: |
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(1) prioritize the use of temporary post-release |
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housing payments under Subsection (b) to reduce the average number |
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of days an inmate described by Subsection (a) or a releasee is |
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housed in a residential correctional facility; and |
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(2) reduce the number of inmates or releasees housed |
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in a residential correctional facility if the department determines |
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that the issuance of payments under Subsection (b) increases the |
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availability of temporary post-release housing that meets or |
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exceeds the standards described by Subsection (b)(2). |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter E, Chapter 508, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Sections 508.158 and 508.159 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 508.158. POST-RELEASE HOUSING PLANNING PROCEDURE AND |
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REPORT. (a) In this section, "residential correctional facility" |
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has the meaning assigned by Section 508.157. |
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(b) The department shall implement a post-release housing |
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planning procedure for releasees that includes the early |
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identification and assessment of inmates who do not have an |
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established plan for housing following release on parole or to |
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mandatory supervision. |
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(c) In implementing the post-release housing planning |
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procedure, the department shall create a needs assessment to |
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identify: |
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(1) inmates who would benefit from the use of |
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temporary post-release housing payments under Section 508.157(b); |
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(2) inmates who require more intensive planning for |
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post-release housing; and |
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(3) the particular housing needs of inmates due to a |
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disability or an inmate's familial circumstances. |
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(d) Not later than February 1 of each year, the department |
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shall submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker |
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of the house of representatives, and each standing committee of the |
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legislature with primary jurisdiction over the department a report |
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that includes the following information for the preceding year: |
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(1) the number of inmates described by Subsection (b) |
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and the department's efforts to find post-release housing for those |
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inmates; |
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(2) the department's efforts to reduce the length of |
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time between an inmate's parole approval and the release of the |
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inmate on parole for an inmate described by Subsection (b); |
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(3) the department's efforts to expand post-release |
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housing options in local communities, including post-release |
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housing that meets or exceeds the standards developed by the |
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Reentry Housing Task Force; |
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(4) the average number of days a releasee is housed in |
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a residential correctional facility; and |
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(5) the number of releasees who absconded from a |
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residential correctional facility. |
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Sec. 508.159. REENTRY HOUSING TASK FORCE; BIENNIAL REPORTS. |
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(a) In this section, "task force" means the Reentry Housing Task |
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Force established under this section. |
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(b) The Reentry Housing Task Force is established and is |
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composed of members appointed by the executive director. The task |
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force must include: |
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(1) at least one representative from each of the |
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following entities: |
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(A) the Texas Department of Housing and Community |
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Affairs; |
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(B) the Texas Veterans Commission; |
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(C) a nonprofit organization that is engaged in |
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creating recovery housing options in this state; |
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(D) a nonprofit organization that advocates for |
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persons who are required to register as a sex offender under Chapter |
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62, Code of Criminal Procedure; |
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(E) a nonprofit organization for family members |
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of persons who are incarcerated; and |
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(F) a nonprofit organization that operates a |
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Continuum of Care program funded wholly or partly by the United |
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States Department of Housing and Urban Development; |
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(2) two or more individuals who are health care |
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professionals, one of whom must be a certified emergency medical |
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technician; and |
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(3) one individual who specializes in the reentry of |
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female releasees. |
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(c) The executive director shall designate a member of the |
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task force as the presiding officer. |
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(d) The task force shall meet every other month or at the |
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call of the presiding officer. |
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(e) A member of the task force is not entitled to |
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compensation for service on the task force but is entitled to |
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reimbursement for travel expenses incurred by the member while |
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conducting the business of the task force as provided by the General |
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Appropriations Act. |
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(f) The task force shall: |
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(1) evaluate, on an ongoing basis, strategies for |
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improving post-release housing for releasees, including: |
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(A) methods to provide housing options for |
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releasees that are in addition to housing provided by residential |
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correctional facilities, as that term is defined by Section |
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508.157; and |
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(B) the feasibility of expanding the use of |
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housing vouchers or other payments for the post-release housing of |
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releasees; |
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(2) develop and update as necessary standards for |
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post-release housing for releasees that promote: |
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(A) the successful reintegration of releasees |
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into the community; and |
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(B) community health and safety; |
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(3) develop and update as necessary a post-release |
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housing planning procedure for releasees that the department may |
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implement that includes the early identification and assessment of |
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inmates who do not have an established plan for housing following |
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release on parole or to mandatory supervision; and |
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(4) develop and update as necessary recommendations to |
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address the risk of homelessness for releasees who are unable to |
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find suitable post-release housing. |
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(g) The task force and the department shall evaluate, on an |
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ongoing basis, the implementation of post-release housing |
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initiatives and planning procedures under this subchapter. |
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(h) Not later than June 1 of each even-numbered year, the |
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task force shall prepare and submit to the department a written |
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report on the task force's findings under this section, including |
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standards, procedures, and recommendations developed under |
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Subsection (f) and any updates to those standards, procedures, and |
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recommendations. |
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(i) Not later than June 30 of each even-numbered year, the |
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department shall compile the results of the evaluations conducted |
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under Subsection (g) and the findings submitted under Subsection |
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(h) and shall prepare and submit to the legislature a written report |
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on the evaluation results and findings. The report must include any |
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proposed legislative recommendations. |
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(j) Chapter 2110 does not apply to the size, composition, or |
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duration of the task force or to the designation of the task force's |
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presiding officer. |
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SECTION 3. Section 508.157(e-1), Government Code, is |
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repealed. |
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SECTION 4. Notwithstanding the requirements of Section |
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508.157(b)(2), Government Code, as amended by this Act, until |
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January 1, 2023, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice may |
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continue to make payments for the cost of temporary post-release |
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housing under the requirements of Section 508.157(b), Government |
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Code, that existed immediately before the effective date of this |
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Act, and those requirements are continued in effect for that |
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purpose. |
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SECTION 5. Not later than December 1, 2021, the Texas |
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Department of Criminal Justice shall implement the post-release |
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housing planning procedure and assessment required by Section |
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508.158, Government Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 6. Not later than November 1, 2021, the executive |
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director of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shall appoint |
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the members to the Reentry Housing Task Force as required by Section |
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508.159, Government Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |