By Goolsby                                              H.B. No. 30
       74R1806 GWK-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the right of a victim of a criminal offense to receive
    1-3  notice before the individual who committed the offense is released
    1-4  on parole or mandatory supervision.
    1-5        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-6        SECTION 1.  Section 8(f)(3), Article 42.18, Code of Criminal
    1-7  Procedure, is amended to read as follows:
    1-8              (3)  If a victim, guardian of a victim, or close
    1-9  relative of a deceased victim would be entitled to notification of
   1-10  parole consideration by the pardons and paroles division but for
   1-11  failure by that person to provide a victim impact statement
   1-12  containing the person's name and address, the person is nonetheless
   1-13  entitled to receive notice if the person files with the pardons and
   1-14  paroles division a written request for that notification.  After
   1-15  receiving such a written request, the pardons and paroles division
   1-16  shall grant to the person all the privileges to which the person
   1-17  would be entitled had the person submitted a victim impact
   1-18  statement.  Not later than the 30th day before the date <Before> a
   1-19  prisoner is released from the institutional division on parole or
   1-20  <on the release of a prisoner on> mandatory supervision, the
   1-21  pardons and paroles division shall give notice by registered mail,
   1-22  return receipt requested, of the release to any person entitled to
   1-23  notification of parole consideration for the prisoner because the
   1-24  person filed with the pardons and paroles division a victim impact
    2-1  statement or a request for notification of a parole consideration.
    2-2  The institutional division may not release a prisoner unless the
    2-3  pardons and paroles division certifies to the institutional
    2-4  division that it has provided notice of the prisoner's release in
    2-5  the manner required by this subdivision.
    2-6        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
    2-7        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-8  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-9  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   2-10  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-11  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.