By Dutton H.B. No. 962 77R592 GWK-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the eligibility for parole of an inmate serving a life 1-3 sentence in a capital case. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Section 508.145(b), Government Code, is amended to 1-6 read as follows: 1-7 (b) An inmate serving a life sentence for a capital felony 1-8 is not eligible for release on parole until the actual calendar 1-9 time the inmate has served, without consideration of good conduct 1-10 time, equals: 1-11 (1) 25 calendar years, but only if the inmate since 1-12 imprisonment has been classified in the highest good conduct time 1-13 earning classification available to the inmate; or 1-14 (2) 40 calendar years, for an inmate serving a life 1-15 sentence for a capital felony other than an inmate described by 1-16 Subdivision (1). 1-17 SECTION 2. (a) The change in law made by this Act applies 1-18 only to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this 1-19 Act. For purposes of this section, an offense is committed before 1-20 the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurs 1-21 before the effective date. 1-22 (b) An offense committed before the effective date of this 1-23 Act is covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed, 1-24 and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. 2-1 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.