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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to veterans placed on community supervision or confined in |
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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. Section 501.024(b), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(b) The department shall: |
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(1) in consultation with the Texas Veterans |
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Commission, investigate and verify the veteran status of each |
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inmate by using the best available federal data; and |
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(2) use the data described by Subdivision (1) to |
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assist inmates who are veterans in applying for: |
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(A) federal benefits or compensation for which |
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the inmates may be eligible under a program administered by the |
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United States Department of Veterans Affairs; and |
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(B) state benefits or compensation for which the |
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inmates may be eligible under any state law or program. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 501, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 501.1021 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 501.1021. REENTRY AND REINTEGRATION SERVICES FOR |
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VETERANS. (a) The department shall develop a comprehensive plan to |
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ensure the successful reentry and reintegration into the community |
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following discharge or release on parole or to mandatory |
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supervision from the department of inmates whose veteran status has |
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been verified by the department under Section 501.024(b)(1). The |
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reentry and reintegration plan developed under this section must: |
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(1) utilize all benefits that the inmate is eligible |
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for as determined by the department under Section 501.024(b)(2) to |
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provide for the following, as applicable, after the inmate's |
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discharge or release on parole or to mandatory supervision: |
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(A) housing; |
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(B) employment; |
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(C) education; |
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(D) financial support for the inmate's family; |
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and |
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(E) medical or mental health care; and |
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(2) require the department to maintain written |
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documentation in the inmate's file that describes each benefit the |
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inmate is eligible for and how the plan utilizes the benefit. |
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(b) The department may contract with private vendors or |
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other entities to implement the comprehensive reentry and |
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reintegration plan as required by this section. |
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SECTION 3. Chapter 509, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Section 509.0042 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 509.0042. VETERANS BENEFITS PLAN. The division shall |
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require each department to develop and implement a comprehensive |
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plan to: |
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(1) determine if a defendant placed on community |
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supervision is a veteran; and |
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(2) assist the defendant in obtaining any federal or |
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state veterans benefits for which the defendant is eligible to |
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provide for the following, as applicable, during the defendant's |
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term of community supervision: |
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(A) housing; |
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(B) employment; |
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(C) education; |
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(D) financial support for the defendant's |
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family; and |
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(E) medical or mental health care. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |