H.B. No. 4937 amends the Government Code to modify the procedures by which the Board of Pardons and Paroles reconsiders inmates for parole release. The bill establishes that the board must adopt a policy for reconsideration that requires inmates previously denied release to be reconsidered during a designated month. This month must begin after the first anniversary of the denial and end before the fifth anniversary, unless the inmate is serving a sentence for a serious offense, in which case the reconsideration period extends to before the tenth anniversary of the denial.

Additionally, the bill clarifies that the new provisions apply to any inmate confined in a Texas Department of Criminal Justice facility on or after the effective date of the Act, regardless of when the offense occurred. The Board of Pardons and Paroles is mandated to adopt a policy consistent with these amendments as soon as practicable after the Act takes effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Government Code 508.141 (Government Code 508)
House Committee Report: Government Code 508.141 (Government Code 508)