HBA-DMH S.B. 840 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 840 By: Wentworth Corrections 4/30/2001 Engrossed BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Under current law, a governmental body is not required to accept or comply with a request made under the open records law from an individual who is imprisoned or confined in a correctional facility. Some confusion exists as to whether the definition of "correctional facility" includes federal prisons or prisons located outside of Texas. Senate Bill 840 specifies that a correctional facility is a place designated by the law of this state, another state, or the federal government for the confinement of a person arrested for, charged with, or convicted of a criminal offense. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS Senate Bill 840 amends the Government Code to modify the definition of "correctional facility." EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001.