Bill > SB697

This bill requires the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) to produce a comprehensive annual report by January 30th that provides detailed inmate data and employment information. The report must include the number of inmates confined in TDCJ facilities during the previous fiscal year, broken down by offense, parole eligibility, race, ethnicity, and gender. It also mandates reporting on employment outcomes for released inmates, such as the average time to obtain employment, particularly for those who received career and technical education training, and the number of inmates who applied for and received occupational licenses. Additionally, for the previous three fiscal years, the report must track the number of employed inmates by industry and their median wages, disaggregated by release facility. The department is authorized to collaborate with the Texas Workforce Commission or other third parties to gather this information and may adopt rules to implement the reporting requirements. The first report is due by January 30, 2026, and the bill will take effect on September 1, 2025, with the goal of providing transparency and insight into post-release employment for incarcerated individuals.

Justice

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB697