bill on program access for female inmates

The text as introduced · 377 words

89R5931 BCH-F

By: Allen
H.B. No. 4620

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to program accessibility for female inmates of the Texas

Department of Criminal Justice.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 501.027, Government Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 501.027. ACCESS TO PROGRAMS BY FEMALE INMATES. (a)

The department shall develop and implement policies that increase

and promote a female inmate's access to programs , including

self-study programs on parenting, healing from trauma, and

financial literacy, offered to inmates in the custody of the

department, including programs offered to defendants confined in

state jail felony facilities [ including educational, vocational,

substance use treatment, rehabilitation, life skills training, and

prerelease programs ]. The department may not reduce or limit a male

inmate's access to a program to meet the requirements of this

section.

(b) The department shall develop and implement policies

that:

(1) require each facility to make the programs

described by Subsection (a) available and accessible to a female

inmate not later than the 45th day after the date the inmate arrives

at the facility; and

(2) ensure female inmates have the ability to

participate in the self-study programs described by Subsection (a),

regardless of the inmate's offense, sentence, mental health record,

or behavior while confined.

(c) Not later than December 31 of each year, the department

shall:

(1) prepare and submit to the governor, the lieutenant

governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, each

standing committee of the legislature having primary jurisdiction

over the department, and the reentry task force described by

Section 501.098 a written report that includes:

(A) a description of any department policies that

were created, modified, or eliminated during the preceding year to

meet the requirements of this section; and

(B) a list of programs , including self-study

programs, available to female inmates in the custody of the

department during the preceding year; and

(2) publish the report on the department's Internet

website.

SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date

of this Act, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shall develop

and implement the policies necessary to implement the changes in

law made by this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.