Bill Text: TX SB211 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to the vote required to release certain inmates on parole.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-02-15 - Referred to Criminal Justice [SB211 Detail]

Download: Texas-2023-SB211-Introduced.html

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88R838 LHC-F
By: Eckhardt S.B. No. 211

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the vote required to release certain inmates on parole.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 508.046, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 508.046. EXTRAORDINARY VOTE REQUIRED. (a) Except as
provided by Subsection (b), to [To] release on parole an inmate who
was convicted of an offense under Section 20A.03, 21.02,
21.11(a)(1), or 22.021, Penal Code, or who is required under
Section 508.145(c) to serve 35 calendar years before becoming
eligible for release on parole, all members of the board must vote
on the release on parole of the inmate, and at least two-thirds of
the members must vote in favor of the release on parole. A member of
the board may not vote on the release unless the member first
receives a copy of a written report from the department on the
probability that the inmate would commit an offense after being
released on parole.
(b) This section does not apply to an inmate serving a
determinate sentence resulting from a disposition by a juvenile
court under Section 54.04(d)(3), 54.04(m), or 54.05(f), Family
Code.
SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies to any
inmate who is confined in a facility operated by or under contract
with 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 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2023.