Honorable Tan Parker, Chair, House Committee on Corrections
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB255 by Miles (Relating to mandatory supervision for certain offenses involving the possession of a controlled substance.), As Introduced
The bill would amend the Government Code as it relates to mandatory supervision for certain drug possession offenses. Under the provisions of the bill, offenders incarcerated for certain drug offenses (Penalty Groups 1, 1-A, 2, 2-A, 3, 4 and Marijuana) would be automatically released to mandatory supervision once the offender's time served plus good time equals the offender's sentence length.
Allowing for the automatic release of offenders to mandatory supervision is expected to result in decreased demands upon the correctional resources of the State due to shorter terms of confinement in prison. In fiscal year 2012, there were 8,818 case denials for releases to discretionary mandatory supervision. Of those cases denials, 486 were for the drug offenses subject to the provisions of this bill.
Assuming sentencing patterns and release policies not addressed in this bill remain constant, the probable impact of implementing the provisions of the bill during each of the first five years following passage, in terms of daily demand upon the adult corrections agencies, is estimated as follows: