Honorable Andrew S. Murr, Chair, House Committee on Corrections
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB465 by Shaheen (Relating to changing the eligibility for release on parole of certain inmates serving sentences for trafficking offenses involving one or more child victims.), As Introduced
The provisions of the bill addressing felony sanctions are the subject of this analysis. The bill would amend the Government Code as it relates to parole eligibility. Under the provisions of the bill, individuals serving sentences for certain first-degree felony trafficking of persons offenses would be ineligible for release to parole supervision. Under existing statute, individuals serving sentences for certain trafficking offenses may be eligible for release to parole supervision.
A first degree felony is punishable by confinement in prison for life or a term from 5 to 99 years and, in addition to confinement, an optional fine not to exceed $10,000.
Removing the eligibility for release to parole supervision is expected to result in additional demands upon the correctional resources of the State due to longer periods of confinement within state correctional institutions. From fiscal year 2018 to 2020, 87 people were arrested, fewer than 10 were placed on direct community supervision, and fewer than 10 were admitted into a state correctional institution for the trafficking of persons offenses specified in the bill. This analysis assumes implementing the provisions of the bill addressing parole eligibility would not result in a significant impact on state correctional populations or on the demand for state correctional resources.