Former prisoners rally against solitary confinement at Texas Capitol

AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- Women from across Texas will meet with state representatives in a "Justice-impacted women and girls rally" on the South Steps of the Texas Capitol Wednesday to protest incarceration conditions on International Women's Day.

Lioness, an organization for formerly-incarcerated women, and the Statewide Leadership Council are hosting the rally. Organizers say state representatives Senfronia Thompson, Alma Allen, Josey Garcia, and Toni Rose will be speaking.

Among the speakers will be Marci Marie Simmons, who spent ten years in prison including in solitary confinement and now serves as the community outreach coordinator for Lioness. She is expected to call for changes to the state's solitary confinement policies.

State Rep. Terry Meza (D-Iriving) has been leading the calls for change in the Texas House. she has filed a series of bills to limit the period and pretenses of isolation.

"I just find that it's a cruel and unusual punishment. Some people have called it torture," she said. "We actually have hundreds of prisoners who are in solitary confinement for years. Who can come out of that mentally healthy? It's just not possible."

HB 480 would prohibit the Texas Department of Criminal Justice from placing an inmate in administrative segregation based solely on their membership in a "security threat group," or a gang. Under current standards, an inmate can be placed in isolation if they are associated with a gang, even if they have not caused harm to any inmates or staff.

Meza's bill would require the department to determine whether the inmate presents an immediate threat to the safety of the facility before placing them in isolation.

The rally began at 11 a.m. on the South Lawn of the Texas Capitol.

This report is ongoing and will be updated throughout the day. Check back here later for more.