| 1 | 1 | | 89R16181 MCF-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Jones of Harris H.B. No. 5525 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to parole guidelines and procedures for inmates convicted |
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| 10 | 10 | | of an offense committed when younger than 18 years of age. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as the Youth Parole Reform |
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| 13 | 13 | | Act. |
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| 14 | 14 | | SECTION 2. Subchapter E, Chapter 508, Government Code, is |
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| 15 | 15 | | amended by adding Section 508.1441 to read as follows: |
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| 16 | 16 | | Sec. 508.1441. PAROLE GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES FOR INMATE |
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| 17 | 17 | | WHO COMMITTED OFFENSE BEFORE AGE OF 18; REPORT. (a) The board, in |
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| 18 | 18 | | consultation with the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, shall |
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| 19 | 19 | | develop and implement: |
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| 20 | 20 | | (1) a version of the parole guidelines adopted under |
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| 21 | 21 | | Section 508.144 that: |
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| 22 | 22 | | (A) is specifically designed for an inmate who |
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| 23 | 23 | | was younger than 18 years of age at the time the offense for which |
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| 24 | 24 | | the inmate is eligible for release on parole was committed; and |
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| 25 | 25 | | (B) prioritizes rehabilitation, educational |
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| 26 | 26 | | attainment, mental health treatment, and reintegration support; |
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| 27 | 27 | | and |
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| 28 | 28 | | (2) specific procedures to be used during the |
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| 29 | 29 | | consideration for release on parole of an inmate described by |
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| 30 | 30 | | Subdivision (1)(A). |
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| 31 | 31 | | (b) The procedures developed under Subsection (a)(2) must: |
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| 32 | 32 | | (1) require a parole panel considering the release on |
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| 33 | 33 | | parole of an inmate described by Subsection (a)(1)(A) to use the |
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| 34 | 34 | | parole guidelines developed under Subsection (a)(1); |
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| 35 | 35 | | (2) prohibit the parole panel from applying the parole |
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| 36 | 36 | | guidelines adopted under Section 508.144; |
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| 37 | 37 | | (3) require the parole panel to consider the |
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| 38 | 38 | | following: |
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| 39 | 39 | | (A) the inmate's age at the time the offense for |
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| 40 | 40 | | which the inmate is eligible for release on parole was committed; |
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| 41 | 41 | | (B) the inmate's demonstrated rehabilitation |
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| 42 | 42 | | progress; |
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| 43 | 43 | | (C) the inmate's educational and vocational |
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| 44 | 44 | | achievements; |
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| 45 | 45 | | (D) the inmate's psychological and behavioral |
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| 46 | 46 | | evaluations; and |
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| 47 | 47 | | (E) input from relevant professionals, family |
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| 48 | 48 | | members, and victims, if appropriate; and |
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| 49 | 49 | | (4) include a comprehensive reintegration plan for the |
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| 50 | 50 | | inmate. |
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| 51 | 51 | | (c) The board shall annually submit to the governor, |
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| 52 | 52 | | lieutenant governor, and members of the legislature a report that |
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| 53 | 53 | | includes: |
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| 54 | 54 | | (1) the following information with respect to inmates |
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| 55 | 55 | | described by Subsection (a)(1)(A) who are considered for release on |
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| 56 | 56 | | parole under the parole guidelines and procedures developed under |
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| 57 | 57 | | this section: |
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| 58 | 58 | | (A) the number of inmates considered and the |
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| 59 | 59 | | number released; |
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| 60 | 60 | | (B) the success rate of reintegration of inmates |
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| 61 | 61 | | released; and |
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| 62 | 62 | | (C) the recidivism rate of inmates released; and |
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| 63 | 63 | | (2) recommendations for improving the parole |
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| 64 | 64 | | guidelines and procedures developed under this section. |
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| 65 | 65 | | (d) The board shall publish the report described by |
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| 66 | 66 | | Subsection (c) on the board's Internet website. |
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| 67 | 67 | | SECTION 3. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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| 68 | 68 | | of this Act, the Texas Juvenile Justice Department shall develop |
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| 69 | 69 | | and provide training to members of the Board of Pardons and Paroles |
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| 70 | 70 | | and parole commissioners, as defined by Section 508.001, Government |
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| 71 | 71 | | Code, on best practices for parole consideration for inmates |
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| 72 | 72 | | described by Section 508.1441(a)(1)(A), Government Code, as added |
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| 73 | 73 | | by this Act. |
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| 74 | 74 | | SECTION 4. (a) Not later than the 180th day after the |
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| 75 | 75 | | effective date of this Act, the Board of Pardons and Paroles shall |
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| 76 | 76 | | develop and implement the parole guidelines and procedures required |
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| 77 | 77 | | under Section 508.1441, Government Code, as added by this Act. |
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| 78 | 78 | | (b) As soon as practicable after the date the Board of |
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| 79 | 79 | | Pardons and Paroles implements the parole guidelines and procedures |
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| 80 | 80 | | under Subsection (a) of this section, the board shall reconsider |
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| 81 | 81 | | for release on parole any inmate described by Section |
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| 82 | 82 | | 508.1441(a)(1)(A), Government Code, as added by this Act, who was |
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| 83 | 83 | | previously denied release on parole before the implementation of |
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| 84 | 84 | | the parole guidelines and procedures under Subsection (a) of this |
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| 85 | 85 | | section. |
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| 86 | 86 | | SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 87 | 87 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 88 | 88 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 89 | 89 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 90 | 90 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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