By: West S.B. No. 1593
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to good conduct time earned by certain inmates.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 498.003, Government Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsections (f) and (g) to read
as follows:
(d) An inmate may accrue good conduct time, in an amount
determined by the department that does not exceed 15 days for each
30 days actually served, for diligent participation in an
industrial program or other work program or for participation in an
agricultural, educational, [or] vocational, or rehabilitative
program provided to inmates by the department. For the purposes of
this subsection, the term "participation in an educational program"
includes the participation of the inmate as a tutor or a pupil in a
literacy program authorized by Section 501.005. The department may
not award good conduct time under this subsection for participation
in a literacy program unless the department determines that the
inmate participated in good faith and with diligence as a tutor or
pupil. An inmate who participates in a program described by this
subsection shall receive 45 days good conduct time on successful
completion of the program.
(f) An inmate is not ineligible for participation in a
program described by Subsection (d) solely because:
(1) previous participation in the program by the
inmate was unsuccessful due to an administrative action not related
to a disciplinary infraction committed by the inmate;
(2) the inmate has a prior conviction for an offense
that is not the offense for which the inmate is currently serving a
sentence; or
(3) the inmate is serving a sentence of 10 years or
longer.
(g) An inmate is ineligible for participation in a program
described by Subsection (d) if on more than one occasion
participation in the program by the inmate was unsuccessful because
of a disciplinary infraction committed by the inmate.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.