BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 1504

By: Allen

Corrections

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties contend that defendants placed on community supervision face numerous challenges when reintegrating into society, including securing consistent employment while complying with certain community supervision requirements. C.S.H.B. 1504 seeks to accommodate the work, treatment, or community service schedule of a defendant required to report to a supervision officer as a condition of community supervision.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or 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

C.S.H.B. 1504 amends the Government Code to require a community supervision and corrections department to adopt, not later than January 1, 2018, a policy regarding the scheduling of meetings or visits with a defendant placed on community supervision and supervised by the department. The bill requires the policy to require the officer supervising the defendant to take into consideration the defendant's work, treatment, or community service schedule, as applicable, when scheduling any required meetings or visits.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 1504 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and formatted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

INTRODUCED	HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
SECTION 1.  Subchapter G, Chapter 42A, Code of Criminal Procedure, is amended by adding Article 42A.3016 to read as follows: Art. 42A.3016.  REPORTING BY DEFENDANT.  A judge who, as a condition of community supervision, requires a defendant to report to a supervision officer as directed by the officer or authorizes the officer to visit the defendant's home, shall direct the officer to schedule any required meetings or visits in a manner that accommodates the defendant's work, treatment, or community service schedule, as applicable.	SECTION 1.  Chapter 76, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 76.019 to read as follows: Sec. 76.019.  POLICY REGARDING SUPERVISION OFFICER MEETINGS AND VISITS.  A community supervision and corrections department shall adopt a policy regarding the scheduling of meetings or visits with a defendant placed on community supervision and supervised by the department.  The policy must require the officer supervising the defendant to take into consideration the defendant's work, treatment, or community service schedule, as applicable, when scheduling any required meetings or visits.
SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies to a defendant placed on community supervision on or after the effective date of this Act, regardless of whether the offense for which the defendant was placed on community supervision was committed before, on, or after the effective date of this Act.	No equivalent provision.
No equivalent provision.	SECTION 2.  Not later than January 1, 2018, each community supervision and corrections department shall adopt the policy required by Section 76.019, Government Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.	SECTION 3. Same as introduced version.