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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of a commission to review certain laws of |
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this state that restrict the rights or activities of persons |
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convicted of a felony offense and to make certain recommendations |
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regarding those laws. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. COMMISSION TO STUDY CERTAIN LAWS THAT RESTRICT |
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RIGHTS OR ACTIVITIES OF PERSONS CONVICTED OF FELONY OFFENSES. |
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(a) A commission is created to study and review all laws of this |
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state that restrict the rights or activities of persons convicted |
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of a felony offense, including: |
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(1) the right to vote; |
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(2) the right to serve on a grand or petit jury; and |
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(3) eligibility for certain occupational licenses. |
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(b) The commission shall: |
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(1) evaluate all laws described by Subsection (a) of |
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this section; and |
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(2) make recommendations to the legislature regarding |
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the repeal or amendment of laws that are identified as being overly |
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restrictive or not otherwise serving the best interest of justice. |
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(c) The commission is composed of nine members appointed as |
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follows: |
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(1) two members appointed by the governor; |
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(2) two members appointed by the lieutenant governor; |
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(3) two members appointed by the speaker of the house |
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of representatives; |
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(4) one member appointed by the chief justice of the |
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Supreme Court of Texas; and |
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(5) two members appointed by the presiding judge of |
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the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. |
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(d) The officials making appointments to the commission |
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under Subsection (c) of this section shall ensure that the |
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membership of the commission includes judges, legal scholars, and |
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relevant business and governmental interests. |
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(e) The governor shall designate one member of the |
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commission to serve as the presiding officer of the commission. |
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(f) A member of the commission is not entitled to |
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compensation or reimbursement of expenses. |
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(g) The commission shall meet at the call of the presiding |
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officer. |
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(h) Not later than November 1, 2024, the commission shall |
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report the commission's findings and recommendations to the |
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governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of |
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representatives, the Supreme Court of Texas, and the Texas Court of |
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Criminal Appeals. The commission shall include in its |
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recommendations any specific statutes that the commission |
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recommends repealing or amending. |
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SECTION 2. APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS. Not later than the 60th |
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day after the effective date of this Act, the governor, the |
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lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, |
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the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Texas, and the presiding |
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judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals shall appoint the |
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members of the commission created under this Act. |
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SECTION 3. ABOLITION OF COMMISSION. The commission is |
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abolished and this Act expires December 31, 2024. |
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SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect |
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immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members |
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elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas |
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Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for |
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immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |