H.B. No. 2940 amends the Government Code to modify the award of good conduct time for inmates and adjust their parole eligibility. The bill specifies that good conduct time is a privilege granted for demonstrating good behavior or participating in certain programs, rather than a right. It introduces new criteria for earning good conduct time, including compliance with department rules and participation in various programs, while removing previous language that allowed for good conduct time based on the inmate's classification alone. Additionally, it establishes that inmates confined in county jails can earn good conduct time for participating in voluntary work programs.

The bill also revises the conditions for parole eligibility for certain inmates, particularly those convicted of serious offenses. It stipulates that inmates serving life sentences or sentences under specific sections of the Penal Code must serve a minimum of 40 or 35 calendar years, respectively, before becoming eligible for parole, with good conduct time factored into this calculation. The changes apply to all inmates confined in facilities operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice on or after the effective date of the Act, which is set for September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Government Code 498.003, Government Code 508.046, Government Code 508.145 (Government Code 498, Government Code 508)