HB5450 - Relating to the establishment of an advisory committee on preventable deaths in county jails and a report concerning county jail safety.

      By: Lowe H.B. No. 5450       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the establishment of an advisory committee on   preventable deaths in county jails and a report concerning county   jail safety.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Chapter 511, Government Code, is amended by   adding Section 511.0082 to read as follows:           Sec.   511.0082.     ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON PREVENTABLE DEATHS.     (a)   The commission shall establish an advisory committee to make   recommendations on the reduction of preventable deaths in county   jails.   The commission shall appoint not more than 11 members to the   advisory committee. The advisory committee must include:                 (1)     one member who is a family member of a person who   died in a county jail in this state;                 (2)     one member with expertise in jail conditions, jail   standards, and deaths in custody who does not have any association   with law enforcement or an agency of this state;                 (3)  one criminal defense attorney;                 (4)  one medical examiner;                 (5)  two members who represent the public; and                 (6)     any other member whom the commission determines to   be appropriate.           (b)     The advisory committee described by Subsection (a)   shall:                 (1)  meet monthly;                 (2)     collect and review reports of deaths in custody   after an investigation of the death has concluded, including   reviewing any evidence as determined necessary by the advisory   committee;                 (3)     identify deaths in custody that could have been   prevented; and                 (4)     make recommendations to the commission regarding   rules, policies, and training needed to reduce preventable deaths   in county jails.           (c)     Chapter 2110 does not apply to the size, composition, or   duration of the advisory committee described by Subsection (a).          SECTION 2.  Chapter 511, Government Code, is amended by   adding Section 511.00904 to read as follows:           Sec.   511.00904.     ANNUAL REPORT ON EMERGING ISSUES IN JAIL   SAFETY, SECURITY, AND COMPLIANCE.   The commission shall annually   prepare and publish on the commission's Internet website a report   summarizing emerging issues in county jail safety, security, and   compliance, including data and recommendations to reduce   preventable deaths.   The report must include the following   information:                 (1)     a summary of each death that occurred in a county   jail, including a detailed description of each death identified as   preventable by the advisory committee established under Section   511.0082 and any responses by county officials regarding the death;                 (2)     a statistical report on deaths that occurred in a   county jail in the reporting year compared against the preceding   five years, disaggregated by:                       (A)  cause of death;                       (B)  county in which the death occurred;                       (C)     race, ethnicity, sex, and age of the inmate   who died;                       (D)     whether the inmate who died was identified   for health, mental health, or intellectual disability disorder   consideration;                       (E)  whether the death was a preventable death;                       (F)     whether the jail was issued a notice of   noncompliance or provided with technical assistance; and                       (G)     whether force was used on the inmate before   the inmate's death;                 (3)     the number and nature of complaints made regarding   county jails, including complaints regarding a violation of any   required ratio of correctional officers to inmates;                 (4)     recommendations made by the advisory committee   established under Section 511.0082;                 (5)     turnover and vacancy rates for county jail staff,   including medical staff, disaggregated by jail and medical bed   count at the jail;                 (6)     a list of county jails in noncompliance and the   nature of the noncompliance related to commission rules,   requirements, and standards, including the requirements of Article   16.22, Code of Criminal Procedure; and                 (7)     a list of county jails that have been granted a   variance from commission rules and a description of the variances.          SECTION 3.  Not later than October 1, 2025, the Commission on   Jail Standards shall appoint the members of the advisory committee   on preventable deaths as required by Section 511.0082, Government   Code, as added by this Act.          SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.