| 1 | 1 | | 86R9532 MAW-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Thompson of Harris H.J.R. No. 130 |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A JOINT RESOLUTION |
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| 6 | 6 | | proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature |
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| 7 | 7 | | to enact laws providing for a court to grant a commutation of |
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| 8 | 8 | | punishment to a person who has successfully served the required |
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| 9 | 9 | | number of years on parole. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Section 11(a), Article IV, Texas Constitution, |
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| 12 | 12 | | is amended to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (a) The Legislature shall by law establish a Board of |
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| 14 | 14 | | Pardons and Paroles and shall require it to keep record of its |
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| 15 | 15 | | actions and the reasons for its actions. The Legislature shall have |
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| 16 | 16 | | authority to enact parole laws, including laws authorizing a court |
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| 17 | 17 | | to grant a commutation of punishment to a person who has |
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| 18 | 18 | | successfully served the specified number of years on parole |
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| 19 | 19 | | required by law, and laws that require or permit courts to inform |
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| 20 | 20 | | juries about the effect of good conduct time and eligibility for |
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| 21 | 21 | | parole or mandatory supervision on the period of incarceration |
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| 22 | 22 | | served by a defendant convicted of a criminal offense. |
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| 23 | 23 | | SECTION 2. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be |
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| 24 | 24 | | submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 5, 2019. |
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| 25 | 25 | | The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the |
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| 26 | 26 | | proposition: "The constitutional amendment authorizing the |
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| 27 | 27 | | legislature to enact laws providing for a court to grant a |
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| 28 | 28 | | commutation of punishment to a person who has successfully served |
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| 29 | 29 | | the required number of years on parole." |
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