Sec. 501.005. LITERACY PROGRAMS. (a) The institutional division shall establish a program to teach reading to functionally illiterate inmates housed in facilities operated by the division. The institutional division shall allow an inmate who is capable of serving as a tutor to tutor functionally illiterate inmates and shall actively encourage volunteer organizations to aid in the tutoring of inmates. The institutional division, the inmate to be tutored, and the person who tutors the inmate jointly shall establish reading goals for the inmate to be tutored. A person who acts as a tutor may only function as a teacher and advisor to an inmate and may not exercise supervisory authority or control over the inmate.

(b) The institutional division shall require illiterate inmates housed in facilities operated by the division to receive not less than five or more than eight hours a week of reading instruction.

(c) The institutional division shall identify functionally illiterate inmates housed in facilities operated by the division and shall inform the parole division if it determines that an inmate who is to be released to the supervision of the parole division is in need of continuing education after release from the institutional division.

Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 212, Sec. 2.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1989. Renumbered from Sec. 500.005 and amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 16, Sec. 10.01(a), eff. Aug. 26, 1991. Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 321, Sec. 1.073, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.