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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the restoration of rights to certain persons convicted |
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of a felony offense. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 11.002, Election Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: |
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(c) Notwithstanding Subsection (a)(4)(A), a person on |
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parole or released to mandatory supervision, other than a person |
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required to register as a sex offender under Chapter 62, Code of |
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Criminal Procedure, is considered to have fully discharged the |
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person's sentence if the person: |
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(1) was released on parole or to mandatory supervision |
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not less than 10 years before the day the person offers to vote; and |
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(2) has been released from supervision and reporting |
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requirements under Section 508.155, Government Code. |
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SECTION 2. Section 13.001, Election Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (d) to read as follows: |
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(d) Notwithstanding Subsection (a)(4)(A), a person on |
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parole or released to mandatory supervision, other than a person |
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required to register as a sex offender under Chapter 62, Code of |
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Criminal Procedure, is considered to have fully discharged the |
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person's sentence if the person: |
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(1) was released on parole or to mandatory supervision |
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not less than 10 years before the date the registration application |
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is submitted; and |
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(2) has been released from supervision and reporting |
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requirements under Section 508.155, Government Code. |
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SECTION 3. Section 46.04(a), Penal Code, is amended to read |
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as follows: |
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(a) A person who has been convicted of a felony commits an |
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offense if the person [he] possesses a firearm: |
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(1) after conviction and before: |
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(A) except as provided by Paragraph (B), the |
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fifth anniversary of the person's release from confinement |
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following conviction of the felony or the person's release from |
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supervision under community supervision, parole, or mandatory |
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supervision, whichever date is later; or |
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(B) for a person on parole or released to |
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mandatory supervision, other than a person required to register as |
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a sex offender under Chapter 62, Code of Criminal Procedure, who has |
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been released from supervision and reporting requirements under |
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Section 508.155, Government Code, the 10th anniversary of the date |
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the person was released on parole or to mandatory supervision; or |
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(2) after the period described by Subdivision (1), at |
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any location other than the premises at which the person lives. |
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SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act to Section |
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46.04, Penal Code, applies only to an offense committed on or after |
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the effective date of this Act. An offense committed before the |
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effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the |
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date the offense was committed, and the former law is continued in |
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effect for that purpose. For purposes of this section, an offense |
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was committed before the effective date of this Act if any element |
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of the offense occurred before that date. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |