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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the temperature at which certain facilities operated by |
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the Texas Department of Criminal Justice are maintained. |
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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 Sections 501.028 and 501.029 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 501.028. TEMPERATURE REQUIREMENTS AT DEPARTMENT |
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FACILITIES. The department shall ensure that the temperature in |
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each facility operated by the department and used to house inmates |
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or in which department staff regularly work is maintained at not |
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less than 65 degrees Fahrenheit or more than 85 degrees Fahrenheit. |
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Sec. 501.029. REPORT REGARDING AIR CONDITIONING. Not later |
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than December 1 of each year, the department shall submit to the |
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governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of |
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representatives, and each standing committee of the legislature |
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with primary jurisdiction over the department a report regarding |
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air conditioning in facilities operated by the department and used |
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to house inmates or in which department staff regularly work. The |
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report must include the following information for the preceding |
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12-month period: |
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(1) the number of facilities in which the air |
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conditioning system has failed; |
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(2) the number of incidents in which the air |
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conditioning in a facility was not operational and the reason for |
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each incident; and |
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(3) for each incident described by Subdivision (2) |
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that was due to an equipment malfunction, a summary of the steps |
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taken by the department to address the malfunction and ensure the |
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well-being of inmates and staff at the facility. |
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SECTION 2. (a) The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is |
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not required to fully comply with the requirements of Section |
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501.028, Government Code, as added by this Act, until September 1, |
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2026. |
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(b) Not later than December 1, 2024, the Texas Department of |
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Criminal Justice shall submit to the governor, the lieutenant |
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governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and each |
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standing committee of the legislature with primary jurisdiction |
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over the department a report regarding the department's progress |
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toward complying with Section 501.028, Government Code, as added by |
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this Act, in all facilities to which that section applies. |
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(c) The Texas Department of Criminal Justice shall submit |
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the first report required by Section 501.029, Government Code, as |
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added by this Act, not later than December 1, 2027. |
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SECTION 3. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of |
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this section, this Act takes effect immediately if it receives a |
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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 September 1, 2023. |
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(b) Section 501.029, Government Code, as added by this Act, |
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takes effect September 1, 2026. |