BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 606

By: Shaheen

Homeland Security & Public Safety

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

There are different tiers of parole supervision in Texas, which are determined by the risk level of the releasee and the seriousness of the offense. The highest tier of supervision, the super‑intensive supervision program (SISP), is reserved for those who commit certain violent offenses. However, despite the violent nature of these offenses, there currently is no state law requiring law enforcement to execute a warrant in response to certain parole violations by a SISP releasee in a timely manner, which may place the victim of the offense at risk. H.B. 606 seeks to address this issue by requiring warrants for SISP releasees to be executed as soon as practicable.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 606 amends the Government Code to require a law enforcement agency to execute as soon as practicable a warrant that is directed to the agency and issued for the return of a releasee in the super-intensive supervision program based on a violation of a condition of parole or mandatory supervision related to the electronic monitoring of the releasee. This requirement applies only with respect to an arrest warrant that is issued on or after the bill's effective date.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.