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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to chemical castration treatment as a condition of parole |
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for certain releasees; creating a criminal offense. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 508, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 508.14105 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 508.14105. CHEMICAL CASTRATION TREATMENT REQUIRED |
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BEFORE RELEASE OF CERTAIN INMATES ON PAROLE. (a) This section |
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applies only to an inmate serving a sentence for an offense under |
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Section 22.021(a)(2)(B), Penal Code, who has not received an |
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orchiectomy under Section 501.061. |
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(b) Notwithstanding any other law, a parole panel may not |
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release an inmate on parole unless the inmate has received chemical |
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castration treatment, as defined by Section 508.1863, at least 30 |
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days before the date the inmate is scheduled to be released on |
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parole. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter F, Chapter 508, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 508.1863 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 508.1863. CHEMICAL CASTRATION TREATMENT. (a) In this |
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section, "chemical castration treatment" means the ongoing |
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provision of a puberty-blocking drug to reduce, inhibit, or block |
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the production of testosterone or other hormones or chemicals in a |
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person's body. |
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(b) A parole panel shall require as a condition of release |
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on parole that a releasee undergo chemical castration treatment if |
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the releasee: |
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(1) is serving a sentence for an offense under Section |
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22.021(a)(2)(B), Penal Code; and |
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(2) has not received an orchiectomy under Section |
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501.061. |
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(c) Except as provided by Subsection (d), the releasee must |
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pay for all costs associated with receiving chemical castration |
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treatment. |
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(d) On request of a releasee, the board shall determine |
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whether the releasee is indigent and shall waive the costs |
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associated with undergoing chemical castration treatment if the |
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board determines that the releasee is not capable of paying the |
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costs associated with the treatment in the foreseeable future. The |
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board may review its prior determination to waive costs under this |
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subsection at any point during the releasee's period of parole and |
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may require the releasee to begin or resume paying the costs of the |
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treatment if the board determines that the releasee is no longer |
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indigent. |
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(e) The board shall adopt rules and procedures necessary to |
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implement this section, including rules establishing the frequency |
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with which a releasee must receive chemical castration treatment. |
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SECTION 3. Chapter 38, Penal Code, is amended by adding |
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Section 38.116 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 38.116. REFUSAL TO UNDERGO REQUIRED CHEMICAL |
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CASTRATION TREATMENT. (a) A person commits an offense if the |
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person: |
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(1) is required to undergo chemical castration |
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treatment as a condition of release on parole under Section |
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508.1863, Government Code; and |
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(2) refuses to undergo the treatment. |
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(b) An offense under this section is a felony of the third |
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degree. |
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SECTION 4. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the Board of Pardons and Paroles shall adopt the rules |
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and procedures required by Section 508.1863, Government Code, as |
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added by this Act. |
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SECTION 5. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to a person who is released on parole for an offense committed on or |
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after the effective date of this Act. A person who is released on |
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parole for an offense committed before the effective date of this |
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Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was |
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committed, and the former law is continued in effect for that |
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purpose. For purposes of this section, an offense was committed |
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before the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense |
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occurred before that date. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |