By Reyna of Bexar                                       H.B. No. 95
         76R701 PEP-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the abolition of parole and the creation of a
 1-3     commutation process for certain seriously ill inmates.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this
 1-6     section, Chapter 508, Government Code, is repealed.
 1-7           (b)  Sections 508.001(1)-(4), 508.031-508.035,
 1-8     508.037-508.039, and 508.051, Government Code, are not repealed.
 1-9           SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 508, Government Code, is
1-10     amended by adding Section 508.053 to read as follows:
1-11           Sec. 508.053.  COMMUTATION OF PUNISHMENT BASED ON SERIOUS
1-12     ILLNESS.  The board may recommend to the governor for commutation
1-13     of punishment inmates confined in the institutional division who
1-14     because of serious illness do not pose a threat to public safety if
1-15     released.
1-16           SECTION 3.  (a)  The change in law made by this Act applies
1-17     only to an inmate confined in the institutional division of the
1-18     Texas Department of Criminal Justice for an offense committed on or
1-19     after the effective date of this Act.  For purposes of this
1-20     section, an offense is committed before the effective date of this
1-21     Act if any element of the offense occurs before that date.
1-22           (b)  An inmate confined in the institutional division of the
1-23     Texas Department of Criminal Justice for an offense committed
1-24     before the effective date of this Act is covered by the law in
 2-1     effect when the offense was committed, and the former law is
 2-2     continued in effect for that purpose.
 2-3           SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
 2-4           SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-5     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-6     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-7     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-8     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.