81R2322 KCR-D

By: Riddle H.B. No. 718

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the applicability of certain laws to certain sex offenders.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 4(b), Article 37.07, Code of Criminal Procedure, is amended to read as follows:

(b) In the penalty phase of the trial of a felony case in which the punishment is to be assessed by the jury rather than the court, if the offense is punishable as a felony of the first degree, if a prior conviction has been alleged for enhancement of punishment as provided by Section 12.42(b), (c)(1) [or (2)], or (d), Penal Code, or if the offense is a felony not designated as a capital felony or a felony of the first, second, or third degree and the maximum term of imprisonment that may be imposed for the offense is longer than 60 years, unless the offense of which the jury has found the defendant guilty is an offense that is punishable under Section 21.02(h), Penal Code, or is listed in Section 3g(a)(1), Article 42.12, [of this code] or the judgment contains an affirmative finding under Section 3g(a)(2), Article 42.12, [of this code,] the court shall charge the jury in writing as follows:

"Under the law applicable in this case, the defendant, if sentenced to a term of imprisonment, may earn time off the period of incarceration imposed through the award of good conduct time. Prison authorities may award good conduct time to a prisoner who exhibits good behavior, diligence in carrying out prison work assignments, and attempts at rehabilitation. If a prisoner engages in misconduct, prison authorities may also take away all or part of any good conduct time earned by the prisoner.

"It is also possible that the length of time for which the defendant will be imprisoned might be reduced by the award of parole.

"Under the law applicable in this case, if the defendant is sentenced to a term of imprisonment, he will not become eligible for parole until the actual time served plus any good conduct time earned equals one-fourth of the sentence imposed or 15 years, whichever is less. Eligibility for parole does not guarantee that parole will be granted.

"It cannot accurately be predicted how the parole law and good conduct time might be applied to this defendant if he is sentenced to a term of imprisonment, because the application of these laws will depend on decisions made by prison and parole authorities.

"You may consider the existence of the parole law and good conduct time. However, you are not to consider the extent to which good conduct time may be awarded to or forfeited by this particular defendant. You are not to consider the manner in which the parole law may be applied to this particular defendant."

SECTION 2. Section 4(d), Article 42.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, as amended by Chapters 593 (H.B. 8) and 1205 (H.B. 1678), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, is reenacted and amended to read as follows:

(d) A defendant is not eligible for community supervision under this section if the defendant:

(1) is sentenced to a term of imprisonment that exceeds 10 years;

(2) is convicted of a state jail felony for which suspension of the imposition of the sentence occurs automatically under Section 15(a);

(3) does not file a sworn motion under Subsection (e) of this section or for whom the jury does not enter in the verdict a finding that the information contained in the motion is true;

(4) is convicted of an offense for which punishment is increased under Section 481.134(c), (d), (e), or (f), Health and Safety Code, if it is shown that the defendant has been previously convicted of an offense for which punishment was increased under any one of those subsections;

(5) is convicted of an offense listed in:

(A) Section 3g(a)(1)(E) [3g(a)(1)(C), (E), or (H)], if the victim of the offense was younger than 14 years of age at the time the offense was committed; or

(B) Section 3g(a)(1)(H), if the victim of the offense was younger than 17 years of age at the time the offense was committed;

(6) is convicted of an offense listed in Section 3g(a)(1)(D), if the victim of the offense was younger than 17 [14] years of age at the time the offense was committed and the actor committed the offense with the intent to violate or abuse the victim sexually; [or]

(7) is convicted of an offense listed in Section 3g(a)(1)(C) or (J); or

(8) [3g(a)(1)(I)] is adjudged guilty of an offense under Section 19.02, Penal Code.

SECTION 3. Section 508.046, Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 508.046. EXTRAORDINARY VOTE REQUIRED. To release on parole an inmate who was convicted of an offense under Section [21.02,] 21.11(a)(1)[,] or 22.021, Penal Code, or who is required under Section 508.145(c) to serve 35 calendar years before becoming eligible for release on parole, all members of the board must vote on the release on parole of the inmate, and at least two-thirds of the members must vote in favor of the release on parole. A member of the board may not vote on the release unless the member first receives a copy of a written report from the department on the probability that the inmate would commit an offense after being released on parole.

SECTION 4. Section 508.187(a), Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) This section applies only to a releasee serving a sentence for an offense under:

(1) Section 43.25 or 43.26, Penal Code;

(2) Section [21.02,] 21.11, 22.011, 22.021, or 25.02, Penal Code;

(3) Section 20.04(a)(4), Penal Code, if the releasee committed the offense with the intent to violate or abuse the victim sexually; or

(4) Section 30.02, Penal Code, punishable under Subsection (d) of that section, if the releasee committed the offense with the intent to commit a felony listed in Subdivision (2) or (3).

SECTION 5. Section 508.189(a), Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) A parole panel shall require as a condition of parole or mandatory supervision that a releasee convicted of an offense under Section [21.02,] 21.08, 21.11, 22.011, 22.021, 25.02, 43.25, or 43.26, Penal Code, pay to the division a parole supervision fee of $5 each month during the period of parole supervision.

SECTION 6. Section 38.05(d), Penal Code, is amended to read as follows:

(d) An offense under this section is a felony of the third degree if the person who is harbored, concealed, provided with a means of avoiding arrest or effecting escape, or warned of discovery or apprehension is under arrest for, charged with, or convicted of a felony, including an offense under Article [Section] 62.102, Code of Criminal Procedure, or is in custody or detention for, is alleged in a petition to have engaged in, or has been adjudicated as having engaged in delinquent conduct that violates a penal law of the grade of felony, including an offense under Article [Section] 62.102, Code of Criminal Procedure, and the person charged under this section knew that the person they harbored, concealed, provided with a means of avoiding arrest or effecting escape, or warned of discovery or apprehension is under arrest for, charged with, or convicted of a felony, or is in custody or detention for, is alleged in a petition to have engaged in, or has been adjudicated as having engaged in delinquent conduct that violates a penal law of the grade of felony.

SECTION 7. Section 508.117(g)(2-a), Government Code, is repealed.

SECTION 8. The change in law made by this Act in reenacting and amending Section 4(d), Article 42.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, applies only to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred before that date.

SECTION 9. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.