SRC-JBJ, AXB C.S.S.B. 232 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 232 76R3688 GWK-DBy: Ellis Jurisprudence 3/23/1999 Committee Report (Substituted) DIGEST Currently, the Texas Government Code does not require those responsible for supervising defendants to notify the authority which originally placed those defendants on community supervision or parole of the completion of a period of supervision. The Texas Code of Criminal Procedure makes defendants liable for fines stemming from their cases; however, because of the relocation of defendants, the collection rate for fines is only 61 percent for county courts and 26 percent for district courts. To increase fine collection rates, this bill would require the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to promptly notify the convicting court of former inmates' new status of freedom. PURPOSE As proposed, C.S.S.B. 232 requires the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to promptly notify certain courts of an inmate's discharge or release on mandatory supervision or parole. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 493, Government Code, by adding Section 493.023, as follows: Sec. 493.023. NOTIFICATION TO COURT OF RELEASE. Requires the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to notify the appropriate clerk that an inmate is discharged on release of an inmate on parole or mandatory supervision. SECTION 2.Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 3.Emergency clause. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES Relating clause. Amends the relating clause to provide that notification to a court occurs on the discharge of, rather than on the completion by, a person from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, or release on parole or mandatory supervision, rather than a person convicted by the court of a period of community supervision. SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 493, Government Code, by adding Section 493.023, to require clerk notification on release of an inmate. Deletes existing SECTION 1. SECTIONS 2.-3. Redesignated from SECTIONS 3-4. Deletes existing SECTION 2.