SRC-MWN H.B. 2800 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 2800
By: Hodge (Barrientos)
Criminal Justice
5/10/2001
Engrossed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, once good conduct time has been revoked for a
disciplinary offense, an inmate can not gain the time back through
cooperation or good behavior. In an effort to offer wardens a tool to
better ensure inmate cooperation and compliance, H.B. 2800 authorizes the
restoration of good conduct time at the discretion of the Department of
Criminal Justice.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a
state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Reenacts Section 498.004, Government Code, as amended by
Chapters 249 and 321, Acts of the 74th Legislature, Regular Session, 1995,
and amends it, as follows: 

Sec. 498.004. FORFEITURE AND RESTORATION OF GOOD CONDUCT TIME. Authorizes
the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (department) to restore good
conduct time forfeited under this subsection, rather than prohibiting it
from doing so. Makes a conforming change. 

SECTION 2. Provides that it is the intent of the legislature that the
department is required to establish a procedure to restore previously
forfeited good conduct time as permitted by Section 498.004, Government
Code, as amended by this Act, in each circumstance in which the conduct of
an inmate warrants the restoration of the previously forfeited good conduct
time. 

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2001.