H.B. No. 2289
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to discharging or releasing inmates from the Texas
  Department of Criminal Justice at or near certain department
  facilities.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 493, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Section 493.029 to read as follows:
         Sec. 493.029.  LOCAL AND REGIONAL RELEASE AND DISCHARGE
  PROCEDURE. (a)  The department shall establish a procedure through
  which an inmate being discharged from the department or being
  released on parole or to mandatory supervision is discharged or
  released, as applicable, from:
               (1)  the facility in which the inmate is serving the
  inmate's sentence; or
               (2)  the facility designated as a regional release
  facility under Subsection (b) that is nearest to the facility in
  which the inmate is serving the inmate's sentence.
         (b)  The department shall designate six or more facilities
  operated by the department as regional release facilities from
  which an inmate being discharged from the department or being
  released on parole or to mandatory supervision may be discharged or
  released, as applicable, rather than being released under
  Subsection (a)(1).  If the department determines that discharging
  or releasing an inmate under Subsection (a) is not in the best
  interest of the inmate or would threaten the safety of the public,
  the department may release the inmate from a regional release
  facility designated under this subsection other than the facility
  described by Subsection (a)(2).
         SECTION 2.  The Texas Department of Criminal Justice shall
  establish and implement the local and regional discharge and
  release procedure required by Section 493.029, Government Code, as
  added by this Act, as soon as possible after September 1, 2009, and
  in no event later than September 1, 2010.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 2289 was passed by the House on April
  29, 2009, by the following vote:  Yeas 142, Nays 0, 1 present, not
  voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 2289 was passed by the Senate on May
  21, 2009, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
  APPROVED:  _____________________
                     Date          
   
            _____________________
                   Governor