HBA-TBM H.B. 859 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 859
By: Dutton
Corrections
3/11/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) houses more than
1,000 elderly inmates, approximately 200 of which suffer from chronic
medical conditions that require 24-hour nursing care.  And TDCJ's elderly
population is expected to increase to more than 10,000 by 2008.  The only
geriatric facility is in TDCJ's 60-bed Estelle Unit in Huntsville, but the
increasing population of elderly inmates requires a comprehensive program
and more housing for geriatric inmates in Texas prisons.  House Bill 859
provides for the establishment of a program and separate housing for the
in-prison treatment of geriatric inmates.   

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking
authority is expressly delegated to the institutional division of the Texas
Department of Criminal Justice in SECTION 1 (Section 501.094, Government
Code) of this bill. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 859 amends the Government Code to require the institutional
division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) to establish a
program for the in-prison treatment of geriatric inmates who are 60 years
of age or older.  The bill requires TDCJ and the Texas Department of Aging
to jointly develop methods for determining and addressing the needs of
geriatric inmates.  The bill sets forth provisions for the operation of the
program and separate housing of inmates in the program.   

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.