Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2940 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R4676 BCH-F
2	2	By: Jones of Dallas H.B. No. 2940
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to the award of good conduct time to certain inmates;
10	10	changing parole eligibility.
11	11	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	12	SECTION 1. Section 498.003, Government Code, is amended by
13	13	amending Subsections (a), (b), (d), and (e) and adding Subsection
14	14	(f) to read as follows:
15	15	(a) Good conduct time applies only to eligibility for parole
16	16	or mandatory supervision as provided by Section 508.145 or 508.147
17	17	and does not otherwise affect an inmate's term. Good conduct time
18	18	is a privilege and not a right. The [Regardless of the
19	19	classification of an inmate, the] department may grant good conduct
20	20	time to an [the] inmate only for:
21	21	(1) demonstrating good behavior by complying with all
22	22	applicable department rules; or
23	23	(2) diligently participating in a program described by
24	24	Subsection (d) or (f) [if the department finds that the inmate is
25	25	actively engaged in an agricultural, vocational, or educational
26	26	endeavor, in an industrial program or other work program, or in a
27	27	treatment program, unless the department finds that the inmate is
28	28	not capable of participating in such a program or endeavor].
29	29	(b) An inmate accrues good conduct time described by
30	30	Subsection (a)(1) according to the inmate's classification in
31	31	amounts as follows:
32	32	(1) 20 days for each 30 days actually served while the
33	33	inmate is classified as a trusty, except that the department may
34	34	award the inmate not more than 10 extra days for each 30 days
35	35	actually served;
36	36	(2) 20 days for each 30 days actually served while the
37	37	inmate is classified as a Class I inmate; and
38	38	(3) 10 days for each 30 days actually served while the
39	39	inmate is classified as a Class II inmate.
40	40	(d) An inmate may accrue good conduct time, in an amount
41	41	determined by the department that does not exceed 15 days for each
42	42	30 days actually served, for diligent participation in an
43	43	industrial program or other work program or for participation in an
44	44	agricultural, educational, [or] vocational, or treatment program
45	45	provided to inmates by the department. For the purposes of this
46	46	subsection, the term "participation in an educational program"
47	47	includes the participation of the inmate as a tutor or a pupil in a
48	48	literacy program authorized by Section 501.005. The department may
49	49	not award good conduct time under this subsection for participation
50	50	in a literacy program unless the department determines that the
51	51	inmate participated in good faith and with diligence as a tutor or
52	52	pupil.
53	53	(e) If an inmate was [a person is] confined in a county jail,
54	54	the department shall award good conduct time to the inmate [person]
55	55	up to an amount equal to the amount earned by an inmate in the entry
56	56	level time earning class.
57	57	(f) The department shall award good conduct time to an
58	58	inmate [a defendant] for diligently participating, while confined
59	59	in a county jail, [diligent participation] in a voluntary work
60	60	program operated by a sheriff under Article 43.101, Code of
61	61	Criminal Procedure, in the same manner as if the inmate had
62	62	diligently participated in an industrial program or other work
63	63	program provided to inmates by the department. The sheriff of each
64	64	county shall have attached a certification of the number of days
65	65	each inmate diligently participated in the volunteer work program
66	66	operated by the sheriff under Article 43.101, Code of Criminal
67	67	Procedure.
68	68	SECTION 2. Section 508.046, Government Code, is amended to
69	69	read as follows:
70	70	Sec. 508.046. EXTRAORDINARY VOTE REQUIRED. To release on
71	71	parole an inmate who was convicted of an offense under Section
72	72	20A.03, 21.02, 21.11(a)(1), or 22.021, Penal Code, or who is
73	73	serving a sentence under Section 12.42(c)(2), Penal Code [required
74	74	under Section 508.145(c) to serve 35 calendar years before becoming
75	75	eligible for release on parole], all members of the board must vote
76	76	on the release on parole of the inmate, and at least two-thirds of
77	77	the members must vote in favor of the release on parole. A member of
78	78	the board may not vote on the release unless the member first
79	79	receives a copy of a written report from the department on the
80	80	probability that the inmate would commit an offense after being
81	81	released on parole.
82	82	SECTION 3. Sections 508.145(b) and (c), Government Code,
83	83	are amended to read as follows:
84	84	(b) An inmate serving a life sentence under Section
85	85	12.31(a)(1), Penal Code, for a capital felony is not eligible for
86	86	release on parole until the actual calendar time the inmate has
87	87	served plus good conduct time described by Section 498.003(a)(2),
88	88	without consideration of any other good conduct time, equals 40
89	89	calendar years.
90	90	(c) An inmate serving a sentence under Section 12.42(c)(2),
91	91	Penal Code, is not eligible for release on parole until the actual
92	92	calendar time the inmate has served plus good conduct time
93	93	described by Section 498.003(a)(2), without consideration of any
94	94	other good conduct time, equals 35 calendar years.
95	95	SECTION 4. Section 508.145(d)(2), Government Code, is
96	96	amended to read as follows:
97	97	(2) An inmate described by Subdivision (1) is not
98	98	eligible for release on parole until the inmate's actual calendar
99	99	time served plus good conduct time described by Section
100	100	498.003(a)(2), without consideration of any other good conduct
101	101	time, equals one-half of the sentence or 30 calendar years,
102	102	whichever is less, but in no event is the inmate eligible for
103	103	release on parole in less than two calendar years.
104	104	SECTION 5. The change in law made by this Act applies to any
105	105	inmate who is confined in a facility operated by or under contract
106	106	with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice on or after the
107	107	effective date of this Act, regardless of whether the offense for
108	108	which the inmate is confined occurred before, on, or after the
109	109	effective date of this Act.
110	110	SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.