By: Swanson (Senate Sponsor - Flores) H.B. No. 2708

(In the Senate - Received from the House May 1, 2023; May 1, 2023, read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal Justice; May 11, 2023, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 11, 2023, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to visitation policies for inmates and state jail felony defendants.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 501.010, Government Code, is amended by adding Subsection (b-2) to read as follows:

(b-2) Regardless of the implementation of video visitation or visitation by other electronic means, the uniform visitation policy must allow in-person visitation for eligible inmates, provided that the policy may allow the temporary suspension of in-person visitation for a health or safety emergency.

SECTION 2. Section 507.030, Government Code, is amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:

(c) Regardless of the implementation of video visitation or visitation by other electronic means, the visitation policy must allow in-person visitation for defendants who are eligible to receive visitors, provided that the policy may allow the temporary suspension of in-person visitation for a health or safety emergency.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.

* * * * *