Bills that Address the Needs of Incarcerated Mothers and Pregnant Women
This year Texas finally acted to do something about the growing number of young women in the Texas prison system who are pregnant or recently gave birth to a child. Nobody knows what happens to a child taken away from its mother so young, so it’s very important and high-time Texas acted to protect these children while encouraging mothers to be more responsible.
1. HB 1770 by Noriega, Rick, Relating to housing and medical care for pregnant inmates, or female inmates who have an infant, confined in a facility operated by or under contract with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Analysis: Allocates 150 beds at the Carole Young medical facility for pregnant inmates and those with newborn infants. Specifically, pregnant inmates will be transferred to the Carole Young facility before giving birth and will remain until the child is 1 year old, or 18 months old if that age is within 90 days of the mother’s parole.
Note: Infants removed from mother’s custody will be given to the father or nearest relative.
2. HB 199 by Madden, Noriega, and Liebowitz, Relating to a residential infant care program for mothers confined in Texas Department of Criminal Justice facilities.
Analysis: Requires the implementation of a residential infant care and parenting program for incarcerated mothers.
Note: To the extent practicable, the program will be modeled after the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ Mothers and Infants Together program operated under contract in Fort Worth.
TCJC Testimony
Senate Committee on Criminal Justice Report
House Research Organization Bill Analysis
Senate Committee on Criminal Justice Report
House Research Organization Bill Analysis
3. HB 424 by Madden | et al, Relating to a competitive grant program to fund nurse-family partnership programs in certain communities in this state.
Analysis: Provides grants for the establishment of nurse-family partnership programs through which nurses regularly visit low-income, first time mothers throughout their pregnancy in order to improve their children’s health.
Note: These programs have produced a demonstrated impact in reducing criminality among the mothers participating.