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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to providing inmates of the Texas Department of Criminal |
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Justice with information regarding reentry and reintegration |
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resources. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 501, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 501.0971 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 501.0971. PROVISION OF REENTRY AND REINTEGRATION |
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INFORMATION TO INMATES. (a) The department shall identify |
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organizations that provide reentry and reintegration resource |
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guides and shall collaborate with those organizations to prepare a |
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resource guide that is to be made available to all inmates. At a |
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minimum, the department shall collaborate with: |
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(1) nonprofit entities that specialize in criminal |
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justice issues; |
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(2) faith-based organizations; and |
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(3) organizations that: |
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(A) offer pro bono legal services to inmates; or |
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(B) are composed of the families and friends of |
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inmates. |
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(b) The department shall make the resource guide available |
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in the Windham School District libraries and in each of the |
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following areas of a correctional facility: |
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(1) peer educator classrooms; |
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(2) chapels; |
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(3) reintegration specialist offices; and |
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(4) any area or classroom that is used by the |
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department for the purpose of providing information about reentry |
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to inmates. |
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(c) The department shall make available a sufficient number |
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of copies of the resource guide to ensure that each inmate is able |
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to access the resource guide in a timely manner. |
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(d) The department shall identify organizations described |
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by Subsection (a) that provide information described by Subsection |
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(e) and shall collaborate with those organizations to compile |
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county-specific information packets for inmates. The department |
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shall, within the 180-day period preceding the date an inmate will |
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discharge the inmate's sentence or is released on parole, mandatory |
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supervision, or conditional pardon, provide the inmate with a |
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county-specific information packet for the county that the inmate |
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designates as the inmate's intended residence. |
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(e) At the minimum, a county-specific packet described by |
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Subsection (d) must include, for the applicable county: |
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(1) contact information, including telephone numbers, |
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e-mail addresses, physical locations, and mailing addresses, as |
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applicable, of: |
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(A) workforce offices, housing options, places |
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of worship, support groups, peer-to-peer counseling groups, and |
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other relevant organizations or agencies as determined by the |
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department and the collaborating organization; |
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(B) agencies and organizations that offer |
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emergency assistance, such as food and clothing banks, temporary |
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bus passes, low-cost medical assistance, and overnight and |
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temporary housing; and |
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(C) agencies and organizations that offer mental |
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health counseling; and |
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(2) information necessary for the inmate to apply for |
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governmental assistance or benefits, including Medicaid, social |
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security benefits, or nutritional assistance programs under |
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Chapter 33, Human Resources Code. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |