By Burnam H.B. No. 2048
77R7376 GWK-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the punishment for a capital felony committed by a
1-3 person who is younger than 18 years of age at the time of
1-4 committing the felony.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. Section 8.07(c), Penal Code, is amended to read as
1-7 follows:
1-8 (c) No person may, in any case, be punished by death for an
1-9 offense committed while he was younger than 18 [17] years.
1-10 SECTION 2. Section 508.145(b), Government Code, is amended to
1-11 read as follows:
1-12 (b) Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, an [An]
1-13 inmate serving a life sentence for a capital felony is not eligible
1-14 for release on parole until the actual calendar time the inmate has
1-15 served, without consideration of good conduct time, equals 40
1-16 calendar years. An inmate serving a life sentence for a capital
1-17 felony committed when the inmate was younger than 18 years of age
1-18 is not eligible for release on parole until the actual calendar
1-19 time the inmate has served, without consideration of good conduct
1-20 time, equals 25 calendar years.
1-21 SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act to Section
1-22 508.145(b), Government Code, applies to an inmate serving a life
1-23 sentence for an offense on or after the effective date of this Act,
1-24 regardless of when the offense was committed.
2-1 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
2-2 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
2-3 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
2-4 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
2-5 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.