HBA-MSH H.B. 3504 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3504 By: Allen Corrections 7/18/2001 Enrolled BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Prior to the 77th Legislature, an offender released on parole or mandatory supervision who violated the terms of the release or committed another offense was issued a pre-revocation warrant, known as a blue warrant. During the 60 days allowed for the processing of a blue warrant offenders were detained in county jails. This contributed to overcrowding in county jails that cost the local taxpayers even though the parolee was under state supervision. House Bill 3504 shortens the time period for processing of a blue warrant to 30 days, or 90 days if the offender has previously violated conditions of release. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 3504 amends the Government Code to provide that if a person's parole or mandatory supervision is modified after a hearing at which it is established that the person violated conditions of release only by committing an administrative violation or an offense punishable by fine only, the board is authorized to require the defendant as a condition of the modification to submit to confinement in a county jail for a period not to exceed 30 days, or for a period not to exceed 90 days if the person has previously violated conditions of release. The bill requires a sheriff to accept such an inmate only if the commissioners court of the county in which the sheriff serves and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice have entered into a contract providing for the housing of such an inmate. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.