bill widens female inmates’ access to prison programs

The text as introduced · 392 words

89R4677 BCH-F

By: Menéndez
S.B. No. 182

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

parenting classes and educational, vocational, substance use

treatment, rehabilitation, life skills training, and prerelease

programs, offered to inmates in the custody of the department,

including programs offered to defendants confined in state jail

felony facilities [ 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;

(2) ensure female inmates have access to program

opportunities, including master's level education courses, that

are equitable to the program opportunities that are provided to

male inmates; and

(3) ensure that vocational programs and any related

certifications are substantively relevant to current workforce

demands and opportunities.

(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 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.