85R5063 JRR-F

By: Leach H.B. No. 618

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to certain notices and information about certain releasees from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice that are provided to or made accessible to criminal justice agencies.

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

SECTION 1. Sections 508.115(a) and (d), Government Code, are amended to read as follows:

(a) Not later than the 11th day before the date a parole panel orders the release on parole of an inmate or not later than the 11th day after the date the board recommends that the governor grant executive clemency, the division shall give notice in accordance with Subsection (d) to [notify] the sheriffs, each chief of police, the prosecuting attorneys, and the district judges in the county in which the inmate was convicted and the county to which the inmate is released that a parole panel is considering release on parole or the governor is considering clemency.

(d) The notice must include [state]:

(1) the inmate's name, age, sex, and race;

(2) a photograph of the inmate;

(3) if applicable:

(A) the address at which the inmate will reside;

(B) the name of the inmate's parole supervisor or the director of the halfway house to which the inmate is transferred, as appropriate; and

(C) the rules or conditions of the inmate's release;

(4) [(2)] the county in which the inmate was convicted; and

(5) [(3)] the offense for which the inmate was convicted.

SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 508, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 508.120 to read as follows:

Sec. 508.120. RELEASEE DATABASE. (a) In this section, "criminal justice agency" has the meaning assigned by Article 60.01, Code of Criminal Procedure.

(b) The division shall establish and maintain a database for the purpose of providing real time information about releasees to criminal justice agencies.

(c) The database:

(1) must contain the following information about a releasee, to the extent that the information is available:

(A) a photograph;

(B) a physical description;

(C) gang affiliation;

(D) residential history;

(E) family history;

(F) employment history;

(G) a list of persons who visited the releasee during the releasee's confinement by the department;

(H) the make, model, and license plate number of any vehicle operated by the releasee; and

(I) any other information that the division considers appropriate; and

(2) must be updated as soon as practicable after a parole officer learns of a change in any information described by Subdivision (1).

(d) In establishing a database under this section, the division may utilize an existing database that is maintained by the department, including the corrections tracking system established under Article 60.02, Code of Criminal Procedure.

SECTION 3. Subchapter H, Chapter 508, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 508.2511 to read as follows:

Sec. 508.2511. NOTICE OF WARRANT ISSUANCE. The department shall provide notice of a warrant issued under this subchapter to each law enforcement agency whose jurisdiction includes the residence of the releasee, according to the department's records.

SECTION 4. (a) Section 508.115, Government Code, as amended by this Act, applies only to the consideration by a parole panel of the release of an inmate or the transfer of an inmate to a halfway house that occurs on or after the effective date of this Act or to a recommendation that the governor grant executive clemency that is made on or after the effective date of this Act.

(b) Section 508.2511, Government Code, as added by this Act, applies only to a warrant issued under Subchapter H, Chapter 508, Government Code, on or after the effective date of this Act.

SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.