SB 1146 (Author: West | Sponsors: Klick; Moody; Rose; Leach; Swanson), Relating to the medical transportation and care for certain inmates in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. SB 1146 requires the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) to establish procedures used during the regularly scheduled transportation of incarcerated women for nonemergency medical care to The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston or another medical facility that provides medical services for incarcerated people. The procedures must ensure that: any searches conducted are performed in an area and manner that conforms with the requirements of the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (34 U.S.C. Section 30301 et seq.) and any regulation adopted under that Act; buses used to transport incarcerated women are equipped with bathrooms and have an adequate supply of toilet paper and feminine hygiene products for those being transported; incarcerated women receive sufficient food and nutrition in accordance with medical or nutritional standards as determined by TDCJ; and facilities used to house incarcerated women overnight while being transported have an adequate number of beds for those being transported.
TDCJ – in conjunction with The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center – must establish procedures to increase opportunities and expand access to telemedicine medical services and telehealth services, and onsite medical care for incarcerated people, including on-site mobile care units that provide diagnostic imaging, physical therapy, and other appropriate mobile health services. Effective on 9/1/23
During the 2023 session of the Texas Legislature, the Texas Center for Justice and Equity tracked around 40 youth and adult justice bills that made it to the Governor's desk. You can find links to all of our analyses in our 2023 Bill Analysis Guide.