By Ellis S.B. No. 793 77R6977 GWK-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the manner in which the Board of Pardons and Paroles 1-3 performs duties related to clemency in capital cases. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Section 508.047(b), Government Code, is amended 1-6 to read as follows: 1-7 (b) The members of the board are not required to meet as a 1-8 body to perform the members' duties in clemency matters, except in 1-9 a capital case. 1-10 SECTION 2. Section 551.124, Government Code, is amended to 1-11 read as follows: 1-12 Sec. 551.124. Board of Pardons and Paroles. At the call of 1-13 the presiding officer of the Board of Pardons and Paroles, the 1-14 board may hold a hearing on clemency matters, other than matters 1-15 involving a capital case, by telephone conference call. 1-16 SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only 1-17 to clemency duties performed by the Board of Pardons and Paroles 1-18 on or after the effective date of this Act. Duties performed 1-19 before the effective date of this Act are covered by the law in 1-20 effect at the time the duties were performed, and the former law is 1-21 continued in effect for that purpose. 1-22 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 1-23 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 1-24 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this 2-1 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 2-2 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.