HBA-TYH H.B. 1584 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1584
By: Naishtat
Corrections
3/10/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, Project RIO, a program of the Texas Workforce Commission,
provides job training and employment referral services to inmates of the
Texas Department of Criminal Justice's (TDCJ) jail system.  Eligibility for
Project RIO continues while the individual is on parole until one year
after parole is completed.  The employment referral component of this
program is instrumental in securing a job for the participants. 

Individuals who have been released and off parole for a year or more are
ineligible for Project RIO, but can access local workforce development
boards' job training programs.  Such an individual participating in a local
job training program could benefit from the employment referral component
of Project RIO, but is unable to access such services. 

H.B. 1584 allows a local workforce development board to refer a person who
was formerly an inmate in the TDCJ jail system, has been off parole for
over a year, and who completes the local board's training program, to
Project RIO.  Individuals referred to Project RIO under this section would
only be eligible for the employment referral component of the program.
This limited referral would prevent any duplication of job training
services and any significant increase in operating costs for Project RIO. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Subchapter G, Chapter 2308, Government Code, by adding
Section 2308.3123, as follows: 

 
Sec. 2308.3123.  REFERRAL TO PROJECT RIO.  (a)  Defines "Project RIO" as
the project for reintegration of offenders established under Chapter 306
(Project Rio (Reintegration of Offenders)), Labor Code.  
 
(b)  Authorizes a local workforce development board (board) to refer to the
Texas Workforce Commission (commission) for participation in Project RIO a
person who: 

(1)  was formerly sentenced to the institutional division or the state jail
division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice; 

(2)  fully discharged the person's sentence, including any period of parole
or mandatory supervision, at least one year before the date of the board's
referral; and 

(3)  completed a job training program administered through the board under
the local plan adopted under Section 2308.304 (Local Plan). 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 306.007, Labor Code, as follows:
 
Sec. 306.007.  New title: PROVISION OF INFORMATION AND SERVICES TO
EXOFFENDERS AND EMPLOYERS.  (a)  Requires the commission, through Project
RIO, to provide the employers and potential employers of those persons with
information from the Texas Department of Economic Development, rather than
Texas Department of Commerce, on the enterprise zone program and the smart
jobs program. This information is listed among other enumerated information
which the commission is required to provide to either those persons or the
employers. 

(b)  Makes conforming changes.

(c)  Requires the commission to provide the employment referral services
provided under Section 306.002 (Project RIO) to a person referred to the
project by a board. 

(d)  Clarifies reference to the memoranda of understanding that the
commission is required to develop by stating that it is required under
Subsection (b).  Modifies reference to the types of services received in
the commission's required annual report describing the number of
ex-offenders by identifying the services as information services and
employment referral services under Subsection (c). 

SECTION 3.Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 4.Emergency clause.