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House Bill 686 |
House Author: Moody et al. |
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Effective: Vetoed |
Senate Sponsor: Lucio et al. |
House Bill 686 amends the Government Code to require a parole panel to take certain factors relating to growth and maturity into consideration when determining whether to release on parole an inmate who was younger than 17 years of age at the time the applicable offense was committed. The bill changes parole eligibility for an inmate serving a sentence for certain capital or first degree felony offenses committed when the inmate was younger than 17 years of age.
Governor's Reason for Veto: "The author of House Bill 686 is to be commended for aiming to provide opportunities for the young offender population. The bill, which addresses parole eligibility for juvenile offenders, admirably recognizes the potential for change and encourages rehabilitation and productiveness in the young offender population. As written, though, the bill's language conflicts with jury instructions required by the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, which would result in confusion and needless, disruptive litigation. And the bill would cause disparate results in parole eligibility for juvenile offenders by failing to account for all circumstances in Texas Code of Criminal Procedure 42A.054. Further changes to address these issues will allow for meaningful reform on this important matter, and I look forward to working with the House author to accomplish that goal."