The bill would amend the Family Code by prohibiting juvenile courts from committing youth to the Texas Youth Commission (TYC) for a misdemeanor crime, or for violation of misdemeanor probation, and requires youth committed to TYC for a misdemeanor prior to the enactment of the bill to be released not later than their 19^th birthday.  The bill would also amend the Government Code by requiring that for youths transferred from TYC to the Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), a parole panel must review the person’s records before releasing to parole. 

The bill would also provide juveniles with determinate sentences credit for time served in a secure detention facility while awaiting trial or pending an appeal.  Providing credit for time served in a secure detention facility while awaiting trial or pending appeal would result in reduced terms of confinement; however, the amount of time by which confinement for these offenders would be reduced cannot be determined due to the unavailability of reliable data or information related to the amount of time a juvenile with a determinate sentence spends in a secure detention facility while awaiting trial or pending an appeal.   

For the purposes of this analysis, it is assumed of the offenders removed from TYC, according to the bill, only sentenced offenders and certain violent offenders would be transferred from TYC to TDCJ facilities, or to TDCJ parole supervision.  Assuming sentencing patterns and release policies not addressed in this bill remain constant, the probable impact of implementing this provision of the bill during each of the first five years following passage, in terms of daily demand upon the Texas Youth Commission and adult corrections agencies, is estimated as follows: