| 1 | 1 | | 89R2842 BCH-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Hughes S.B. No. 676 |
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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 the award of good conduct time to inmates. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Section 498.003(a), Government Code, is amended |
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| 12 | 12 | | to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (a) Good conduct time applies only to eligibility for parole |
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| 14 | 14 | | or mandatory supervision as provided by Section 508.145 or 508.147 |
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| 15 | 15 | | and does not otherwise affect an inmate's term. Good conduct time |
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| 16 | 16 | | is a privilege and not a right. Regardless of the classification of |
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| 17 | 17 | | an inmate, the department may grant good conduct time to the inmate |
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| 18 | 18 | | only if the department finds that the inmate: |
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| 19 | 19 | | (1) is actively engaged in an agricultural, |
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| 20 | 20 | | vocational, or educational endeavor, in an industrial program or |
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| 21 | 21 | | other work program, or in a treatment program, unless the |
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| 22 | 22 | | department finds that the inmate is not capable of participating in |
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| 23 | 23 | | such a program or endeavor; or |
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| 24 | 24 | | (2) regularly attends religious services or studies |
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| 25 | 25 | | religious texts. |
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| 26 | 26 | | SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies to a |
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| 27 | 27 | | person who is confined in a facility operated by or under contract |
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| 28 | 28 | | with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice on or after the |
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| 29 | 29 | | effective date of this Act, regardless of whether the offense for |
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| 30 | 30 | | which the person is confined occurred before, on, or after the |
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| 31 | 31 | | effective date of this Act. |
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| 32 | 32 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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