By: Wilson (Senate Sponsor - Schwertner) H.B. No. 721
         (In the Senate - Received from the House May 3, 2021;
  May 10, 2021, read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal
  Justice; May 24, 2021, reported adversely, with favorable
  Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 7, Nays 0;
  May 24, 2021, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 721 By:  Whitmire
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the release to mandatory supervision of certain inmates
  confined in a county jail.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter E, Chapter 508, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 508.1471 to read as follows:
         Sec. 508.1471.  RELEASE TO MANDATORY SUPERVISION OF CERTAIN
  INMATES CONFINED IN COUNTY JAIL. (a) This section applies only to
  an inmate who, at the time the inmate is sentenced to a term of
  imprisonment in the department, is:
               (1)  confined in a county jail; and
               (2)  eligible for immediate release to mandatory
  supervision.
         (b)  Before an inmate is released from a county jail to
  mandatory supervision, the department shall provide notice to a
  victim, guardian of a victim, or close relative of a deceased victim
  that the inmate is eligible for release to mandatory supervision.
  The notice must be sent to the address provided in the victim impact
  statement or submitted under Section 508.117(b) and must state that
  the victim, guardian, or close relative may submit, not later than
  the 14th day after the date of the notice, a written statement to
  the parole panel considering the inmate's release regarding:
               (1)  the offense;
               (2)  the inmate; and
               (3)  the effect of the offense on the victim, guardian,
  or close relative.
         (c)  Notwithstanding any other law, the parole panel may
  interview a victim, guardian of a victim, or close relative of a
  deceased victim regarding the release of the inmate to mandatory
  supervision.
         (d)  In this section, "victim," "guardian of a victim," and
  "close relative of a deceased victim" have the meanings assigned by
  Section 508.117.
         SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies to a
  defendant who is sentenced for an offense on or after the effective
  date of this Act, regardless of whether the offense is committed
  before, on, or after that date.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
 
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