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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of an adult high school pilot program |
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for certain inmates and defendants in 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. Subtitle G, Chapter 493, Government Code is |
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amended by adding Section 493.035 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 493.035. ADULT HIGH SCHOOL PILOT PROGRAM. (a) The |
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department shall establish a pilot program under which one or more |
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nonprofit entities provide an adult education program under |
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Subchapter G, Chapter 12, Education Code, to enable inmates |
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described by Subsection (b) to successfully complete a high school |
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program that can lead to a diploma. |
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(b) An inmate who is at least 26 years of age and not more |
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than 50 years of age is eligible to enroll in an adult high school |
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program operated under the pilot program if: |
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(1) the inmate: |
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(A) has failed to complete the curriculum |
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requirements for high school graduation; or |
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(B) has failed to perform satisfactorily on an |
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assessment instrument required for high school graduation; and |
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(2) the department approves the inmate's enrollment in |
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the program after: |
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(A) assessing the inmate's suitability for |
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participation in the program using the results of the risk and needs |
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assessment instrument adopted under Section 501.0921; and |
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(B) evaluating the inmate's conduct while in the |
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custody of the department. |
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(c) In admitting inmates to an adult high school education |
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program operated under the pilot program, the nonprofit entity |
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shall give priority to an inmate who has not earned a high school |
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equivalency certificate. |
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(d) The department shall issue a request for proposals from |
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nonprofit entities described by Section 12.256, Education Code, to |
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provide an adult high school education program under the pilot |
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program. The department shall require that each applicant identify |
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each region of this state in which the applicant is able to operate |
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an adult high school education program under this pilot program. |
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(e) The department shall contract with at least one |
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qualified applicant to operate an adult high school education |
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program under the pilot program. |
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(f) The department, in consultation with each nonprofit |
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entity that the department contracts with under this section, shall |
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identify at least three and not more than five facilities operated |
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by the department that are suitable to serve as sites for the pilot |
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program. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than December 31, 2023, the Texas |
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Department of Criminal Justice shall issue the request for |
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proposals required by Section 493.035(d), Government Code, as added |
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by this Act. Not later than September 1, 2024, the Texas Department |
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of Criminal Justice shall ensure that at least one adult high school |
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education program required by Section 493.035, Government Code, as |
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added by this Act, be in operation in a facility operated by the |
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department. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a 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. |