For the state’s largest business association and criminal justice reform advocates, the 83rd legislative session was successful despite Gov. Rick Perry’s veto of a key measure that they said would have made it easier for former inmates to find work.
Texas Department Of Criminal Justice
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Inmate Families Sue Over Heat-Related Prison Deaths
Four inmates’ families on Thursday sued the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for wrongful deaths, alleging that prison officials failed to protect the men from extreme heat.
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Criminal Justice
TDCJ to Close Two Privately Run Jails in August
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has decided to end operations at two privately run Texas prison facilities — the Dawson State Jail in Dallas and the Mineral Wells Pre-Parole Transfer Facility — on Aug. 31.
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Criminal Justice
Abortion-Related Legislation Added to Special Session Agenda
The special session’s agenda now includes the hot-button issue of abortion — which is sure to spark partisan warfare. Gov. Rick Perry also ordered the Legislature to take up a measure dealing with sentences for 17-year-olds convicted of capital felonies.
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Criminal Justice
The 83rd Lege’s Regular Session: What Happened and What Didn’t
Lawmakers raced to get several bills passed before the 83rd Legislature’s regular session ended. And with Monday’s announcement of a special session, their work isn’t done. Here’s a look at the deals reached and the measures that fell short in the regular session.
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Politics
Liveblog: What’s Left for the 83rd Legislature
The clock is ticking for lawmakers hard at work to pass prize bills in the final days of the 83rd legislative session. Here’s a look at what’s still outstanding. Check back often: We’ll update this story as deals are brokered or broken.
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Criminal Justice
Business Association Scores Victories on Criminal Justice Agenda
This session, the Texas Association of Business put a focus on legislation related to criminal justice, as it advocated for bills aimed at helping ex-offenders get jobs. Here’s a look at legislation that the group backed.
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Criminal Justice
House Tentatively OKs Bill to Review Solitary Confinement
UPDATED: The House on Tuesday tentatively approved a bill that would require a now-defunct legislative oversight committee to hire a third party to review solitary confinement conditions in Texas prisons and juvenile lockups.
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Criminal Justice
Prison Officers’ Union Unhappy With 5% Pay Raise
Correctional officers in a statewide union say that a 5 percent pay increase lawmakers have proposed in the state budget is not sufficient to stymie the corruption and reduce physical dangers they face every day.
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Criminal Justice
House Backs Prison Bill That Diverges From Senate Measure
The House on Monday approved a bill that allows the state’s sprawling prison system to continue operations but doesn’t specifically shutter two privately operated lockups that legislators in the upper chamber have voted to close.
