| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to a racial disparity impact statement attached to certain |
|
|
bills or resolutions creating or expanding criminal offenses. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Chapter 314, Government Code, is amended by |
|
|
adding Section 314.006 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 314.006. RACIAL DISPARITY IMPACT STATEMENT FOR |
|
|
CRIMINAL OFFENSES. (a) The board shall prepare a racial disparity |
|
|
impact statement for each bill or resolution that creates a new |
|
|
offense or significantly expands the applicability of an existing |
|
|
offense. |
|
|
(b) The impact statement must include information |
|
|
concerning the impact of the legislation on racial and ethnic |
|
|
minority groups, including a statistical analysis of the impact on |
|
|
those groups with regard to sentencing of defendants and the |
|
|
eligibility of defendants for release on parole. |
|
|
(c) The board shall consult with the Department of Public |
|
|
Safety and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to develop a |
|
|
protocol for analyzing the impact of the bill or resolution on |
|
|
racial and ethnic minority groups. |
|
|
(d) The impact statement must be attached to the bill or |
|
|
resolution immediately following: |
|
|
(1) the fiscal note attached under Section 314.003; or |
|
|
(2) if a dynamic fiscal impact statement is prepared |
|
|
under Section 314.005, the dynamic fiscal impact statement. |
|
|
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |