Friday, April 27, 2007

TCJC: Good criminal justice bills moving in the home stretch

Like Grits, my friends over at the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition are tracking key legislation this session related to overincarceration, probation, parole, re-entry and indigent defense. I mentioned that bills backing drug courts and stronger probation cleared the House and that budget conferees had been named, but a lot more than that is going on under the pink dome, and TCJC is in the mix on a great deal of the action. With just over thirty days left in the 80th Texas Legislature, they sent out an email updating supporters on bills that will be heard at the Texas Lege next week. Here are some of the important items they highlighted:

Creating a Path to Responsible Living Through Drug Treatment

SB 1909 to be Heard in House Corrections Committee on Monday!

SB 1909 by Senators Ellis (D-Houston), Carona (R-Dallas), and Deuell (R-Greenville), and carried by Representative Madden (R-Plano) in the House - relating to mandatory treatment that is more effective than incarceration - is scheduled to be heard before the House Committee on Corrections on Monday, April 30, 2007, in Room E2.016 at 8:00 am or upon final adjournment of the House.

Click here to find out more.

View TCJC fact sheet

View TCJC testimony

View full agenda

Increasing Funds for Drug Courts

SB 1780 to be Heard in House Corrections Committee on Monday!

SB 1780 by Senator Whitmire (D-Houston) - relating to using forfeiture funds to support drug courts - is scheduled to be heard before the House Committee on Corrections on Monday, April 30, 2007, in Room E2.016 at 8:00 am or upon final adjournment of the House.

Click here to find out more.

View TCJC fact sheet

View full agenda

Improving Defense Services for Indigent Defendants

SB 1655 to be Heard in House Judiciary Committee on Monday!

SB 1655 by Senators Ellis (D-Houston) and Duncan (R-Lubbock) - relating to the establishment of the Capital Writs Committee of the Texas Judicial Council and the creation of the Office of Capital Writs - is scheduled to be heard before the House Judiciary Committee on Monday, April 30, 2007, in Room E2.028 at 2:00 pm or upon final adjournment of the House.

Click here to find out more.

View TCJC talking points

View full agenda

Providing Tools for Personal Responsibility

Good News: SB 1750 Placed on Senate Intent Calendar!

SB 1750 by Senator Whitmire (D-Houston) - relating to removing barriers through granting provisional licensure - has been placed on the Senate Intent Calendar, meaning it will be heard on the Senate floor very soon!

Click here to find out more.

Call your Senators and urge them to help people find jobs by voting for SB 1750!

View TCJC Fact Sheet

View TCJC Testimony

"When you come out of prison, I have the deck stacked so far against me. One, I'm an ex felon, who's gonna hire me? So I had to dream up other identities to get a job. Our prisons are overloaded. The last thing they want is another body in there. I'm not gonna go to welfare. I'm not gonna have people feeding me. I'm gonna go out and earn a decent living. And that's what I did. The only thing is that I didn't do it under who I really was."

- Fred Brito, formerly incarcerated person

In the News:

AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN: Locked out of their livelihoods

COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Former prisoners struggle with news lives, study says

More Good News:

SB 838 by Senator Whitmire - relating to the revocation or modification of a person's parole - passed the Senate on the Local and Uncontested Calendar (Vote: Y: 31/N: 0) and is moving on to the House!

View fact sheet

View Testimony

View Senate Analysis

SB 909 by Senator Whitmire - relating to the continuation and functions of the Board of Criminal Justice - passed the Senate on the Local and Uncontested Calendar (Vote: Y: 31/N: 0) and is moving on to the House!

View TCJC's Response to the Sunset Commission Staff Report

View Testimony

View Senate Analysis

SB 1580 by Senator Van de Putte - relating to the provision of pay telephone service to inmates confined in facilities by the Department of Criminal Justice - passed the Senate on the Local and Uncontested Calendar (Vote: Y: 31/N: 0) and is moving on to the House!

View Testimony

View Senate Analysis

SB 1557 by Senator Hinojosa - relating to the appointment of an attorney to represent an indigent defendant who is in the custody of a correctional facility of TDCJ - passed the Senate on the Local and Uncontested Calendar (Vote: Y: 31/N: 0) and is moving on to the House!

Click here to find out more.

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