Honorable Andrew S. Murr, Chair, House Committee on Corrections
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB2177 by Moody (Relating to the release of certain inmates on parole; changing parole eligibility.), As Introduced
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB2177, As Introduced : a positive impact of $30,761,177 through the biennium ending August 31, 2023.
The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.
General Revenue-Related Funds, Five- Year Impact:
Fiscal Year
Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2022
$27,446,199
2023
$3,314,978
2024
$3,778,166
2025
$4,486,573
2026
$4,804,447
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
Fiscal Year
Probable Savings/(Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1
2022
$27,446,199
2023
$3,314,978
2024
$3,778,166
2025
$4,486,573
2026
$4,804,447
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend the Government Code to direct the Board of Pardons and Paroles (BPP) to consider certain mitigating factors favoring parole approval for persons who committed the offense when younger than 26 years of age. The bill would also modify parole eligibility requirements for individuals currently incarcerated who are 35 years or older but younger than 50 years, as well as those 50 years of age or older.
Methodology
Under the provisions of the bill, BPP would have to update the parole guidelines to consider certain factors identified the bill. It is assumed the costs associated with implementing the bill's provisions related to updating the parole guidelines could be absorbed using existing resources.
Decreasing the amount of time an individual must serve before becoming eligible for consideration for release to parole supervision is expected to result in fewer demands on the correctional resources of the State due to an opportunity for shorter terms of confinement within state correctional institutions. After excluding individuals who were ineligible for parole, those who did not meet the age criteria, and those who had not yet met or would not meet the calendar time served requirements, the most recent 24-month observed parole approval rate was applied to the 4,826 individuals who remained and would be eligible during the next five fiscal years. The bill would be retroactive in its application resulting in a greater proportion of individuals eligible for consideration in fiscal year 2022. Savings are estimated at $69.27 per day and costs for parole supervision are estimated at $4.64 per day based on costs published in the January 2021 Criminal and Juvenile Justice Uniform Cost Report. The net two-year savings is $30,761,177.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.