The 82nd State Legislative Session has finally come to a close, and although this has been one of the most challenging sessions we've encountered, 26 critical smart-on-crime policies have either worked their way to the Governor's desk or have already been signed into law! Please find them below.
To download a document that describes how these policies will benefit the lives of Texans, please click here. After the veto period ends next month, we will provide you with a more comprehensive document that explains what has actually become law, including appropriations.
We must thank the Representatives, Senators, their hard working staff, our colleagues, and the amazing TCJC team for their determination and dedication to furthering policies that will benefit all facets of society. Although not all smart-on-crime policies made it through the legislative process, they progressed further this year than they had in previous sessions, which increases their likelihood of becoming law next session.
We must also thank you for supporting our efforts and the efforts of other advocates during the last few months. Keep your fingers crossed that these next few weeks will bring only good things...
| Effective Fair Defense and Innocence Practices | |
| · H.B. 27 (Representative Guillen): Relating to the payment of fines and costs by defendants who are unable to pay the fines and costs in misdemeanor cases. (Sent to the Governor) · H.B. 215 (Representatives Gallego, Hartnett, Giddings, Carter, and Branch): Relating to photograph and live lineup identification procedures in criminal cases. (Sent to the Governor) · H.B. 417 (Representatives Anchia and Jim Jackson): Relating to claims for compensation for wrongful imprisonment and group health benefits coverage for persons wrongfully imprisoned. (Sent to the Governor) · H.B. 1106 (Representative Johnson): Relating to providing certain information to a criminal defendant at the time the defendant is placed on deferred adjudication community supervision and at the time of the dismissal of certain proceedings against the defendant. (Sent to the Governor) · H.B. 1754 (Representative Gallego): Relating to the reorganization of powers and duties among agencies in this state that provide representation to indigent defendants in criminal cases and to the reorganization of funding sources for indigent defense. (Sent to the Governor) · S.B. 122 (Senator Ellis): Relating to postconviction forensic DNA analysis. (Sent to the Governor) · S.B. 1681 (Senator Ellis): Relating to the appointment of counsel and the rights of an accused and other requirements for the purposes of appellate proceedings or community supervision revocation proceedings. (Sent to the Governor) | |
| Smart Sentencing, Probation & Parole Reforms | |
| SENTENCING · H.B. 2649 (Representative Allen): Relating to the award of diligent participation credit to defendants confined in a state jail felony facility. (Sent to the Governor) DIVERSIONS · H.B. 1771 (Representative Madden): Relating to the establishment of the Specialty Courts Advisory Council.(Sent to the Governor) · H.B. 1994 (Representative Webber): Relating to the creation of a first offender prostitution prevention program. (Sent to the Governor) PROBATION · H.B. 1205 (Representatives Turner, Allen, Aliseda, Eddie Rodriguez, and Gallego): Relating to the procedures for reducing or terminating community supervision and the establishment of certain time credits through which a defendant's period of community supervision is reduced. (Sent to the Governor) · H.B. 2624 (Representative Sheffield): Relating to procedures applicable in circumstances involving family violence or other criminal conduct and military personnel.(Sent to the Governor) · H.B. 3691 (Representative Gallego): Relating to community supervision and corrections departments and community justice plans. (Sent to the Governor) · S.B. 1055 (Senator Carona): Relating to reports concerning and the reporting of the use of certain funds by community supervision and corrections departments and to the preparation of commitment reduction plans by those departments. (Sent to the Governor) PAROLE · H.B. 2735 (Representative Madden): Relating to procedures for certain persons charged with an administrative violation of a condition of release from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice on parole or to mandatory supervision. (Sent to the Governor) | |
| Re-Entry Strategies | |
· H.B. 2889 (Representative Madden): Relating to the expunction of records and files relating to a person's arrest. (Sent to the Governor) · S.B. 144 (Senator West): Relating to allowing a person who successfully completes a term of deferred adjudication community supervision to be eligible for a pardon. (Sent to the Governor) · S.B. 167 (Senator West): Relating to the automatic expunction of arrest records and files after an individual receives a pardon or a grant of certain other relief with respect to the offense for which the individual was arrested. (Sent to the Governor) · S.B. 198 (Senator West): Relating to exempting persons who are convicted of certain sexual offenses from registering as a sex offender in this state. (Effective on 9/1/11) · S.B. 462 (Senator West): Relating to the expunction of records and files relating to a person's arrest. (Sent to the Governor) | |
| Juvenile Justice Reforms | |
| · H.B. 350 (Representative Walle):Relating to discharging fines and costs assessed against certain juvenile defendants through community service or tutoring. (Sent to the Governor) · H.B. 961 (Representative Turner): Relating to the sealing of and restricting access to juvenile records of adjudications of delinquent conduct or conduct indicating a need for supervision and to the confidentiality of records of certain misdemeanor convictions of a child. (Sent to the Governor) · H.B. 2015 (Representative Thompson): Relating to certain conduct indicating a need for supervision and the sealing of records related to that conduct. (Sent to the Governor) · S.B. 1208 (Senator Whitmire): Relating to the age until which juveniles placed on determinate sentence probation may be on probation. (Sent to the Governor) · S.B. 1209 (Senator Whitmire): Relating to the detention of certain juvenile offenders. (Sent to the Governor) · S.B. 1489 (Senator Whitmire): Relating to educational, juvenile justice, and criminal justice responses to truancy. (Sent to the Governor) | |
Wow.... this is really neat.
ReplyDeleteLast session there was a bill that would allow early parole for people who had behaved themselves while in prison that was passed. It was then vetoed by the Governor. Does anyone have any information if this bill came back up for consideration or if it was even considered again.
ReplyDeleteNot sure if its the same one, but HB 2352 pertained to the release of non aggravated offenders on their projected release date:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/82R/billtext/html/HB02352H.htm
Unfortunately the calendars committee never put it on a calendar to be voted on.
So it will not even make it to the Governor's desk this go round?
ReplyDelete