By: Springer, et al. S.B. No. 955
 
 
 
   
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
         relating to the release on parole of certain youthful
  offenders; changing parole eligibility.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  This Act may be cited as Senator Eddie Luccio,
  Jr. Act.
         SECTION 2.  Chapter 37, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 37.07, Sec. 4. (a). In the penalty phase of the trial of
  a felony case in which the punishment is to be assessed by the jury
  rather than the court, if the offense of which the jury has found
  the defendant guilty is an offense under Section 71.02, Penal Code,
  other than an offense punishable as a state jail felony under that
  section, an offense under Section 71.023, Penal Code, or an offense
  listed in Article 42A.054(a), or if the judgment contains an
  affirmative finding under Article 42A.054(c) or (d), unless the
  defendant has been convicted of an offense under Section 21.02,
  Penal Code, an offense under Section 22.021, Penal Code, that is
  punishable under Subsection (f) of that section, or a capital
  felony, the court shall charge the jury in writing as follows:
         "The length of time for which a defendant is imprisoned may be
  reduced by the award of parole.
         "Under the law applicable in this case, if the defendant is
  sentenced to a term of imprisonment, the defendant will not become
  eligible for parole until the actual time served equals one-half of
  the sentence imposed or 30 years, whichever is less. If the
  defendant is sentenced to a term of less than four years, the
  defendant must serve at least two years before the defendant is
  eligible for parole. Eligibility for parole does not guarantee
  that parole will be granted.
         "Under the law applicable in this case, if the defendant is
  sentenced to a term of imprisonment as a result of an offense that
  occurred while the defendant was a child within the meaning
  assigned under Title 3 of the Family Code, the defendant will not
  become eligible for parole until the actual time served equals
  one-fourth of the sentence imposed or 20 years, whichever is less,
  but in no event is the inmate eligible for release on parole in less
  than two calendar years unless the inmate would otherwise be
  eligible for release on parole under other applicable law.
  Eligibility for parole does not guarantee that parole will be
  granted."
         "It cannot accurately be predicted how the parole law might
  be applied to this defendant if sentenced to a term of imprisonment,
  because the application of that law will depend on decisions made by
  parole authorities.
         "You may consider the existence of the parole law. You are
  not to consider the manner in which the parole law may be applied to
  this particular defendant."
         SECTION 3.  Chapter 498, Government Code, is amended to read
  as follows:
         Sec 498.003. ACCRUAL OF GOOD CONDUCT TIME. (a) Good conduct
  time applies only to eligibility for parole or mandatory
  supervision as provided by Section 508.145, Section 508.1451, or
  508.147 and does not otherwise affect an inmate's term. Good
  conduct time is a privilege and not a right. Regardless of the
  classification of an inmate, the department may grant good conduct
  time to the inmate only if the department finds that the inmate is
  actively engaged in an agricultural, vocational, or educational
  endeavor, in an industrial program or other work program, or in a
  treatment program, unless the department finds that the inmate is
  not capable of participating in such a program or endeavor.
         SECTION 4.  Chapter 498, Government Code, is amended to read
  as follows:
         Sec 498.004. FORFEITURE AND RESTORATION OF GOOD CONDUCT TIME.
  (c) The department shall establish a policy regarding the
  suspension of good conduct time under Subsection (a). The policy
  must provide that:
               (1)  the department will consider the severity of an
  inmate's offense or violation in determining whether to suspend all
  or part of the inmate's good conduct time instead of forfeiting the
  inmate's good conduct time;
               (2)  during any period of suspension, good conduct time
  placed in suspension may not be used:
                     (A)  for purposes of granting privileges to an
  inmate; or
                     (B)  to compute an inmate's eligibility for parole
  under Section 508.145 or Section 508.1451 or to determine an
  inmate's date of release to mandatory supervision under Section
  508.147;
               (3)  at the conclusion of any period of suspension, the
  department may forfeit or reinstate the good conduct time placed in
  suspension based on the inmate's conduct during the period of the
  suspension; and
               (4)  in determining whether to forfeit or reinstate
  good conduct time placed in suspension, the department must
  consider whether any impact to public safety is likely to result
  from the inmate's release on parole or to mandatory supervision if
  the good conduct time is reinstated.
         SECTION 5.  Chapter 499, Government Code, is amended to read
  as follows:
         Sec 499.053. TRANSFERS FROM TEXAS JUVENILE JUSTICE
  DEPARTMENT OR POST-ADJUDICATION SECURE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY. (d)
  A person transferred from the Texas Juvenile Justice Department or
  a post-adjudication secure correctional facility for the offense of
  capital murder shall become eligible for parole as provided in
  Section 508.1451 [508.145(d)] for an offense listed in Article
  42A.054, Code of Criminal Procedure, or an offense for which a
  deadly weapon finding has been made.
         SECTION 6.  Subchapter E, Chapter 508, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 508.1451 to read as follows:
         Section 508.1451. ELIGIBILITY AND CONSIDERATIONS FOR RELEASE
  ON PAROLE; COMPUTATION OF PAROLE ELIGIBILITY DATE FOR CERTAIN
  YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS. 
         (a)  Eligibility and Computation of Release Date
               (1)  This section applies only to the eligibility for
  release and computation of parole eligibility date for an inmate
  who is serving a sentence at the Texas Department of Criminal
  Justice for a felony offense committed when the person was under
  eighteen, except for a capital felony under Section 19.03(a)(1) or
  (7). 
               (2)  An inmate eligible as provided by Subsection
  (a)(1) who is serving a sentence under Section 12.31(a)(1), Penal
  Code for a capital felony is not eligible for release on parole
  until the actual calendar time the inmate has served, without
  consideration of good conduct time, equals 20 [40] calendar years. 
               (3)  Any other inmate eligible as provided by
  Subsection (a)(1) is eligible for release in accordance with
  Section 508.145 (f).
         (b)  Parole Considerations for Youthful Offenders
               (1)  In determining whether to release an inmate
  described by Subsection (a) on parole, a parole panel shall assess
  the growth and maturity of the inmate, taking into consideration:
                     (A)  the diminished culpability of youth, as
  compared to that of adults;
                     (B)  the hallmark features of youth; and
                     (C)  the greater capacity of youth for change, as
  compared to that of adults.
                (2) The board shall adopt a policy establishing
  factors for a parole panel to consider when reviewing for
  release on parole an inmate to whom this section applies to
  ensure that the inmate is provided a meaningful opportunity
  to obtain release. The policy must:
                     (A)  consider the age of the inmate at the time of
  the commission of the offense as a mitigating factor in favor of
  granting release on parole;
                     (B)  permit persons having knowledge of the inmate
  before the inmate committed the offense or having knowledge of the
  inmate's growth and maturity after the offense was committed to
  submit statements regarding the inmate for consideration by the
  parole panel.
         (c)  This section does not:
               (1)  affect the rights granted under this chapter or
  Article 56A.051, Code of Criminal Procedure, to a victim, guardian
  of a victim, or close relative of a deceased victim; or
               (2)  create a legal cause of action.
         SECTION 7.  Chapter 508, Government Code, is amended to read
  as follows:
         Sec. 508.151.  PRESUMPTIVE PAROLE DATE. (b) The
  presumptive parole date may not be a date that is earlier than the
  inmate's initial parole eligibility date computed under Section
  508.145 or Section 508.1451.
         SECTION 8.  The change in law made by this Act applies to any
  inmate who was under eighteen at the time of the offense who is
  serving a sentence at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice on or
  after the effective date of this Act, regardless of whether the
  offense for which the inmate is confined occurred before, on, or
  after the effective date of this Act.
         SECTION 9.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.