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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of the Adult and Juvenile Administrative |
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Segregation Task Force. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. ADULT AND JUVENILE ADMINISTRATIVE SEGREGATION |
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TASK FORCE. (a) In this Act: |
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(1) "Facility" means: |
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(A) a facility operated by or under contract with |
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the Texas Department of Criminal Justice; |
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(B) a facility operated by a county, a |
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municipality, or a private vendor for the confinement of a person |
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arrested for, charged with, or convicted of a criminal offense; or |
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(C) a public or private juvenile secure detention |
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facility. |
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(2) "Inmate" means a person arrested for, charged |
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with, or convicted of a criminal offense of this state or another |
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state of the United States and confined in any facility in this |
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state. |
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(3) "Task force" means the Adult and Juvenile |
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Administrative Segregation Task Force established under this |
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section. |
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(b) The Adult and Juvenile Administrative Segregation Task |
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Force is established. |
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(c) The task force is composed of the following 18 members: |
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(1) the executive director of the Texas Department of |
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Criminal Justice or the executive director's designee; |
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(2) the executive director of the Texas Juvenile |
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Justice Department or the executive director's designee; |
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(3) the executive director of the Commission on Jail |
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Standards or the executive director's designee; |
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(4) the director of the Texas Correctional Office on |
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Offenders with Medical or Mental Impairments or the director's |
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designee; |
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(5) the presiding officer of the Correctional Managed |
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Health Care Committee or the presiding officer's designee; |
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(6) one representative designated by the office of |
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independent ombudsman of the Texas Juvenile Justice Department; |
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(7) one representative designated by Disability |
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Rights Texas; |
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(8) one representative designated by the Texas |
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Association of Business; |
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(9) one representative designated by Texas Impact; |
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(10) one representative designated by the Texas |
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Criminal Justice Coalition; |
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(11) one representative designated by Mental Health |
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America of Texas; |
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(12) one representative designated by the National |
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Alliance on Mental Illness; and |
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(13) six members appointed by the governor, consisting |
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of: |
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(A) one representative of a nonprofit entity |
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involved with the reintegration of inmates; |
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(B) one representative of a faith-based |
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organization involved with the reintegration of inmates; |
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(C) one member who was convicted of a criminal |
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offense in this state; |
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(D) one member who has expertise in issues |
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related to adult or juvenile criminal justice; and |
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(E) two members who have expertise in issues |
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related to administrative segregation, seclusion, or solitary |
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confinement. |
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(d) The governor shall designate a member of the task force |
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to serve as presiding officer. |
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(e) The task force shall meet at the times and places that |
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the presiding officer determines are appropriate. |
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(f) A member of the task force is not entitled to |
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compensation but is entitled to reimbursement for the member's |
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actual and necessary expenses incurred in attending meetings of the |
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task force and performing other official duties authorized by the |
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presiding officer of the task force, as provided by the General |
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Appropriations Act. |
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(g) The task force is not subject to Chapter 2110, |
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Government Code. |
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SECTION 2. DUTIES OF TASK FORCE. The task force shall: |
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(1) conduct a comprehensive review of administrative |
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segregation and seclusion policies and practices in facilities in |
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this state; |
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(2) develop methods to: |
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(A) reduce the number of inmates and juveniles |
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housed in administrative segregation or subject to other |
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restrictive means of confinement; and |
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(B) provide inmates and juveniles housed in |
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administrative segregation with increased access to programs, |
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services, and mental health treatment; and |
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(3) make findings and policy recommendations relating |
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to the use of administrative segregation in facilities in this |
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state. |
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SECTION 3. REPORT. Not later than December 1, 2014, the |
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task force shall deliver a report of the task force's findings and |
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recommendations to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the |
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speaker of the house of representatives, the standing committees of |
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each house of the legislature with primary jurisdiction over |
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criminal justice matters, the executive director of the Texas |
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Department of Criminal Justice, and the executive director of the |
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Texas Juvenile Justice Department. |
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SECTION 4. EXPIRATION. The task force is abolished and this |
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Act expires August 31, 2015. |
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SECTION 5. INITIAL APPOINTMENTS; FIRST MEETING. (a) Not |
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later than the 60th day after the effective date of this Act, the |
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governor shall make the appointments required by Section 1(c) of |
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this Act. |
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(b) The presiding officer of the task force shall convene |
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the first meeting of the task force not later than December 1, 2013. |
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SECTION 6. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect |
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immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members |
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elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas |
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Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for |
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immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |