BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1234

By: Price

Corrections

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Certain inmates are currently eligible to be released to mandatory supervision when the actual calendar time the inmate has served plus any accrued good conduct time equals the term to which the inmate was sentenced. There are some offenses that are so severe, an inmate who commits the offense is ineligible for release to mandatory supervision and can only be considered for release on parole at a time determined by the Board of Pardons and Paroles. Interested parties have expressed concern that not all offenses of injury to a child, elderly individual, or disabled individual disqualify an inmate from release to mandatory supervision. H.B. 1234 seeks to address this issue by expanding the category of offenses that disqualify an inmate from release to mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 1234 reenacts and amends Section 508.149(a), Government Code, as amended by Chapters 1 (S.B. 24) and 122 (H.B. 3000), Acts of the 82nd Legislature, Regular Session, 2011, to prohibit the release of an inmate to mandatory supervision if the inmate is serving a sentence for or has been previously convicted of any injury to a child, elderly individual, or disabled individual offense, rather than only such an offense punishable as a first degree felony.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2013.