Corrections

SB 663 requires county community supervision and corrections departments to submit their budget and strategic plan to the state division for approval. The bill mandates that district judges (who established the department) must first review and approve these documents before the department submits them to the state division. Departments must submit the budget and strategic plan annually by March 1st for the upcoming state fiscal biennium. This policy change directly affects county-level community supervision departments and the judges responsible for overseeing them.

SB 1610 increases penalties for individuals civilly committed as sexually violent predators who commit new offenses. It mandates life imprisonment or 25-99 years for felony convictions if the person was a sexually violent predator at the time of the offense (Section 1 of the Penal Code). The bill also elevates harassment offenses by these individuals to a third-degree felony (Section 21.08) and creates a presumption that assaulters knew they were targeting Texas Civil Commitment Office staff wearing distinctive uniforms (Section 22.01). The law directly affects people under civil commitment for sexually violent predator status who commit new crimes, effective September 1, 2025.

This bill bars community supervision for individuals convicted of stalking by adding it to a list of offenses where such supervision is unavailable. It specifically targets convictions under Penal Code Section 42.072 (stalking) and explicitly excludes it from eligibility under Article 42A.053 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. As a result, judges must impose prison sentences instead of community supervision for stalking convictions, aligning it with other serious offenses like aggravated sexual assault. The law became effective September 1, 2025.

SB 2405 amends Texas Education Code sections governing the Windham School District, which provides education to incarcerated individuals. It requires the district to develop career-focused educational programs (including vocational training) that address barriers to certification/licensure for those with felony convictions, and to prioritize programs leading to certification. The bill mandates tracking specific outcomes for participants, such as employment rates, earnings, job retention, and whether employment relates to their training. It also requires informing inmates before enrollment about state agency certification barriers, historical success rates for certification, and appeal processes. These changes directly affect incarcerated individuals participating in Windham School District programs across Texas prisons.

SB 1506 sets new timelines for when Texas' Board of Pardons and Paroles must reconsider inmates for parole after a denial. It requires the board to review most inmates' cases between one and five years after denial, while extending this window to one to ten years for inmates serving sentences for certain serious offenses (like those under Section 22.021 of the Penal Code or life sentences for capital felonies). The law applies to all inmates confined in Texas Department of Criminal Justice facilities on or after September 1, 2025, regardless of when their offense occurred. The bill, signed into law in June 2025, takes effect September 1, 2025.