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.