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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the ombudsman office for the Texas Department of |
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Criminal Justice. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 493, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Section 493.0165 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 493.0165. OMBUDSMAN OFFICE; REPORT. (a) The |
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department shall establish an ombudsman office to assist the |
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department in performing its duties under Section 493.016. |
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(b) The ombudsman office shall: |
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(1) establish a process by which an employee of the |
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department may anonymously submit a complaint regarding: |
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(A) the department; |
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(B) an inmate; |
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(C) another employee; or |
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(D) a facility operated by or under contract with |
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the department; |
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(2) investigate complaints submitted under |
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Subdivision (1); and |
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(3) refer complaints submitted under Subdivision (1) |
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involving criminal conduct to the appropriate agency for |
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investigation. |
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(c) The identity of an employee who submits a complaint |
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under Subsection (b) must remain anonymous unless the employee |
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chooses to disclose the employee's identity. |
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(d) Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year, |
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the ombudsman office shall prepare and publish on the department's |
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Internet website a report that includes: |
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(1) the number of complaints submitted under |
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Subsection (b) during the two-year period preceding the date of the |
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report; |
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(2) a summary of any trends regarding the complaints; |
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and |
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(3) a description of the actions taken in response to |
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the complaints. |
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(e) The report described by Subsection (d) may not include |
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identifying information about any person involved in a complaint. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |