The bill would amend Government Code, Chapter 501, to require the Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) to conduct a review of administrative segregation policies and submit a report to the Governor and various legislative offices and committees by December 31, 2012. The bill would require TDCJ to revise administrative segregation policies and would prohibit TDCJ from confining offenders in administrative segregation based on a variety of circumstances. The bill would require TDCJ to provide educational, vocational, and life skills programs to offenders housed in administrative segregation and to allow such offenders to have contact visits with their families. 

According to TDCJ, on August 31, 2010, approximately 6 percent of offenders incarcerated in prison had a custody status indicating administrative segregation; 99 percent were classified as a danger to others; 71.9 percent of those inmates were classified as being a member of a security threat group or a clique. On August 31, 2010, approximately 1 percent of the confinees had a custody status indicating special management; 97 percent of those inmates were classified as being a member of a security threat group or a clique. 

TDCJ anticipates the need for additional security measures if certain offenders currently housed in administrative segregation are moved to the general population. TDCJ reports that the costs of these additional security measures and additional programming cannot be determined.