Sec. 497.0595. LIMITATION ON CONTRACTS

(a) A governmental entity may not enter into a contract or renew a contract with an employer for a private sector prison industries program under this subchapter if the board determines that the contract has negatively affected or would negatively affect any employer in this state, including through the loss of existing jobs provided by the employer to employees in this state who are not incarcerated or imprisoned.

(b) The board shall adopt rules that establish a procedure to be used in making the determination described by Subsection (a). The procedure must allow an aggrieved employer in this state to submit a sworn statement to the board alleging that the employer has been or would be negatively affected by the contract to be entered into or renewed.

(c) For the purposes of this section, a contract does not negatively affect an employer if the only negative effect alleged in a sworn statement by the employer is the loss of existing jobs that, at the time the sworn statement is submitted to the board, are performed by workers in a foreign country.

Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1282 , Sec. 16, eff. June 19, 2009.