Relating to the establishment of the inmate legal services office and to the appointment and compensation of certain legal counsel for certain indigent inmates and other persons in secure correctional facilities.

HB 2647 establishes a new "Inmate Legal Services Office" in Texas to provide legal representation for indigent inmates and others in secure correctional facilities. It creates an 9-member "Inmate Legal Services Board" appointed by the State Bar of Texas, composed of five public defender directors and four experienced criminal defense attorneys from counties with correctional facilities. The board will hire a director who must be a licensed Texas attorney with at least three years' experience, no history of ineffective counsel, and a commitment to public defense principles. This bill directly affects inmates unable to afford legal help by creating a structured system to appoint and compensate qualified legal counsel within Texas prisons.