2021 Legislation: Reforms that Reduce Reentry Barriers

People who can quickly find employment after release from prison are likelier to be stable and successful. It is critical to improve access to vocational training and occupational licensure for people with a criminal history, which in turn will provide employers with a growing candidate pool and keep Texas’ workforce and economy strong and vibrant.

HB 757 (Author: Dutton | Sponsor: Miles), Relating to the consequences of receiving a grant of deferred adjudication community supervision and successfully completing the period of supervision. Following a person’s successful completion of deferred adjudication community supervision – resulting in the dismissal of the proceedings and a discharge – the underlying offense may not be used as grounds for denying, suspending, or revoking a professional or occupational license or certificate. However, a licensing agency can consider the deferred adjudication community supervision in issuing, renewing, denying, or revoking such a license or certificate if: (1) the underlying offense involves various violent, trafficking, and/or sexual offenses, including sex offenses requiring registration and public indecency, or the offense relates to the licensed profession; (2) the license or certificate relates to a profession involving direct contact with children; or (3) the license or certificate relates to law enforcement and security. Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2021


HB 2352 (Authors: Parker, White, Jarvis Johnson, Moody, Guillen | Sponsor: Huffman), Relating to an educational and vocational training pilot program for certain state jail felony defendants and certain inmates released on parole; changing parole eligibility.

This bill modifies the educational and vocational training pilot program initiated for state jail felony defendants in the 2017 Regular Session via HB 3130. The pilot program is intended to provide educational and vocational training, employment, and reentry services. A judge can directly sentence a person with a state jail felony to probation and placement into the pilot program, and can no longer impose a 90-day period of confinement in a state jail felony facility prior to probation placement. Furthermore, the pilot program is extended to certain individuals released on parole who are required to participate as a condition of parole. Specifically, paroled individuals who are eligible to participate include people: (1) who are serving third-degree felony drug offenses, (2) who have not previously been convicted of felonies for various violent, trafficking, and/or sexual offenses, public indecency, or organized crime, and (3) who are eligible for parole release when their calendar time and good conduct time equal one-fourth of the sentence imposed or 15 years. Such individuals may be released on parole 180 days early to begin immediate participation in the program. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) must annually identify at least 100 people who may be suitable candidates for early release and program participation; TDCJ or the Parole Board must notify such individuals that they are being considered for release.

TDCJ must also determine at least two sites in which the pilot program will operate; those sites must be based on locations where the program will have the greatest likelihood of success, regardless of geographic region or population size. Separately, the Office of Court Administration must develop and annually provide a training program to educate and inform judges on the components of the program. Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2021