bill letting judges swap jail time for alternatives

The text as introduced · 262 words

89R17027 MCF-D

By: Allen
H.B. No. 5630

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the authority of a court to order a defendant to engage

in certain alternatives to confinement as part of the defendant's

sentence.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Chapter 42, Code of Criminal Procedure, is

amended by adding Article 42.024 to read as follows:

Art. 42.024. COURT MAY ORDER ALTERNATIVES AS PART OF

SENTENCE. A court may order a defendant to serve all or part of a

sentence of confinement, or to serve all or part of a period of

confinement required as a condition of community supervision, by

engaging in an educational program, counseling, treatment,

community service, or any other alternative to confinement that is

determined reasonable by the court if the court determines that

requiring the defendant to engage in the alternative to confinement

instead of being confined would:

(1) provide accountability;

(2) encourage reformation;

(3) protect society; or

(4) encourage rehabilitation.

SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only

to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act.

An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is

governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed,

and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For

purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the

effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred

before that date.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.