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Fri, 03/13/2009 - 5:55pm — Nicole

During the last week to file new bills, state legislators introduced measures that impact private prisons and jails in the state of Texas.

HB 3247: Requires counties that contract with private prison companies to run local prisons and/or jails to participate in a collective bargaining agreement with sheriff department employees; and
HB 3903: This bill would require hearings to be held at the county level in each county commissioner's district prior to the commissioner's court vote on a private prison or jail contract. The measure also penalizes public officials who personally benefit from a contractual relationship with a private prison corporation.

Both bills increase transparency in decisionmaking among local lawmakers considering a private a jail, prison, or detention center.

Also, we have covered previous scandals that may have resulted in the part of HB 3903 that penalizes public officials who benefit from relationships to private prison profiteers.

As with other legislation impacting the Texas private prison industry, we will work to keep y'all posted about how these measures navigate the Texas legislative process.

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81st Legislature