Bill Text: TX HB2448 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Relating to a strategic plan to reduce recidivism by facilitating stable employment for persons who are preparing to reenter communities of this state after incarceration.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-04-16 - Committee report sent to Calendars [HB2448 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB2448-Comm_Sub.html
| 86R12440 JON-F | ||
| By: Reynolds, White | H.B. No. 2448 | |
|
|
||
|
|
||
| relating to a strategic plan to reduce recidivism by facilitating | ||
| stable employment for persons who are preparing to reenter | ||
| communities of this state after incarceration. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 501, Government Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 501.104 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 501.104. PLAN FOR REDUCING RECIDIVISM BY FACILITATING | ||
| STABLE EMPLOYMENT. (a) Not later than December 1, 2020, the | ||
| department, in collaboration with the Texas Workforce Commission | ||
| and the Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial | ||
| System, shall develop a five-year strategic plan to reduce | ||
| recidivism by facilitating stable employment for persons who are | ||
| reentering communities of this state after incarceration. The | ||
| department shall submit the plan to: | ||
| (1) the governor; | ||
| (2) the lieutenant governor; | ||
| (3) the speaker of the house of representatives; and | ||
| (4) the standing committees of the house and senate | ||
| primarily responsible for criminal justice issues and corrections | ||
| issues. | ||
| (b) The strategic plan must include the following | ||
| information: | ||
| (1) an analysis of data regarding the relationship | ||
| between employment and recidivism; | ||
| (2) an analysis of data regarding the effect of | ||
| incarceration on a person's ability to pay financial obligations, | ||
| including fines, fees, court costs, and child support; | ||
| (3) an analysis of barriers to employment faced by | ||
| persons who are reentering communities of this state after | ||
| incarceration; | ||
| (4) recommendations on how the comprehensive reentry | ||
| and reintegration plan adopted under Section 501.092 should be | ||
| amended to support the strategic plan; | ||
| (5) recommendations to the legislature for statutory | ||
| changes that would allow the department to assist incarcerated | ||
| persons in obtaining credits or wages that would reduce any | ||
| financial obligations before and after reentry; | ||
| (6) an evaluation of opportunities for incarcerated | ||
| persons to earn credit toward occupational licenses while | ||
| incarcerated; and | ||
| (7) a design for a pilot program that would train | ||
| incarcerated persons, pay a private sector wage, and deposit a | ||
| portion of those wages in an account from which payments for | ||
| financial obligations may be withdrawn. | ||
| (c) This section expires September 1, 2021. | ||
| SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. | ||
