| Vote Recommendation | Economic Freedom | Property Rights | Personal Responsibility | Limited Government | Individual Liberty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Positive | Positive |
Relating to the amount of the health care services fee paid by certain inmates.
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB 812, Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted: a positive impact of $430,000 through the biennium ending August 31, 2021.
The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.
HB 812 would lower the fee that inmates pay for a visit to a healthcare provider from $100 to $10.
Texas Action supports HB 812 because it supports the principle of limited government and individual liberty. A proper function of a limited government is an effective and efficient criminal justice system. Providing access to needs such as healthcare for incarcerated individuals is essential to a properly functioning criminal justice system. Just because an individual is incarcerated doesn't mean that the forfeit all their rights. Since prisoners have extremely limited monetary resources while incarcerated, the fee for healthcare should reflect this reality.