HB 889: Office of the Corrections Ombudsman

GENERAL BILL by Valdés

Office of the Corrections Ombudsman; Creates Office of Corrections Ombudsman within legislative branch; provides for staff; specifies duties of office; provides for appointment of Corrections Ombudsman; requires that Ombudsman meet certain criteria; requires Legislature to establish Corrections Oversight Committee on or before certain date; provides duties & membership of committee; requires DOC to provide Ombudsman & committee members with access to certain department facilities & records; authorizes Ombudsman & committee members access to such facilities unannounced; requires confidentiality of in-person communications between incarcerated persons or facility staff members & Ombudsman or committee member; provides that correspondence between incarcerated person & office is privileged; provides that decision, or failure, to file complaint with office does not impact inmate grievance procedure; provides that office need not investigate or process complaints in order received; requires office to submit to President of Senate & Speaker of House of Representatives specified report annually; provides appropriation. APPROPRIATION: $250,000

Current Bill Version Posted: 12/23/2025 10:38 AM

• Related Bills (4)

  Bill Number Subject Filed By Last Action and Location	Relationship Learn more about bill relationships
  H 891 by Valdés Pub. Rec./Office of the Corrections Ombudsman Last Action: 3/13/2026 H Died in Criminal Justice Subcommittee	Linked
  S 1160 by Rodriguez Office of the Corrections Ombudsman Last Action: 3/13/2026 S Died in Criminal Justice	Identical
  S 1162 by Rodriguez Public Records/Office of the Corrections Ombudsman and the Corrections Oversight Committee Last Action: 3/13/2026 S Died in Criminal Justice	Compare
  S 1710 by Smith Office of the Department of Corrections Ombudsperson Last Action: 3/13/2026 S Died in Criminal Justice	Compare

• Citations - Statute (1)

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  11.92

  Page 2 (pdf)

• Bill History

  S = Senate, H = House

  12/23/2025	H	• Filed
  1/5/2026	H	• Referred to Criminal Justice Subcommittee • Referred to Budget Committee • Referred to Judiciary Committee • Now in Criminal Justice Subcommittee
  1/13/2026	H	• 1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
  3/13/2026	H	• Died in Criminal Justice Subcommittee