Final Legislative Update for 80th Legislature

FINAL LEGISLATIVE UPDATE (Joan DeLuca for CONTACT Fall 2007)

In the last issue of Contact, the most current information on several bills was included. However, the final outcome of some of the bills is different from the information given there. Additional information on these has become available.

SB166, relating to prison diversion progressive sanctions, was signed by the Governor. HB921, the most important part of which is the establishment of the Texas Health Care Policy Council, was also signed by the Governor. However, HB44, which would have allowed the restoration of good conduct time forfeited by an offender for commission of an offense or violation of a rule, was vetoed by the Governor. Similarly, HB541, relating to procedures for certain parole violations, was also vetoed by the Governor. Another bill, HB312, which prevents indigent offenders from being unjustly revoked from probation from being unable to pay their fees, was signed by the Governor.

HB47, which would have made it possible for TDCJ to provide GED services for people in Administrative Segregation, was vetoed by the Governor. This was a bill that had strong TIFA support in the form of a pilot program at the Hughes Unit.

HB199, which was signed by the Governor, will provide a pilot, residential infant care program for mothers confined in TDCJ units for the first three months of an infant’s life. HB2611, also signed by the Governor, extends the release from TDCJ to medically recommended intensive supervision to additional offenders, primarily medically fragile elderly offenders.

Finally, SB909, the Comprehensive Sunset Recommendations Bill, authored by Senator Whitmire, was also signed by the Governor. Many of the recommendations made by TIFA and other organizations interested in criminal justice reform are reflected in the bill. Provisions in the bill will increase the accountability of the Board of Pardons and Paroles by encouraging the Board to explain decisions to not follow their own guidelines when refusing to release parole-eligible offenders. Other topics related to the functions of the Texas Board of Criminal Justice, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, and the Correctional Managed Health Care Committee, are addressed in this bill.

The Appropriations Bill (HB1) includes money for new prison diversion and drug treatment programs, new intermediate sanctions facilities and halfway houses, and incentives for probation departments that encourage them to help probationers earn their way off supervision through good behavior.

The complete text and additional details about these and other bills introduced in the 80th legislative session can be found on the Texas Legislature Online website http://www.legis.state.tx.us/