Bill > HB764

This bill, known as Lauren and CJ's Law, increases penalties and restricts early release options for individuals convicted of intoxication manslaughter (a criminal offense involving causing a death while driving under the influence). Specifically, the bill mandates a minimum five-year prison sentence for intoxication manslaughter, requiring offenders to serve at least five full calendar years before being eligible for parole or mandatory supervision. For individuals granted community supervision (probation), judges may now only reduce the minimum imprisonment term to two years if they explicitly find that doing so would serve the community's best interest and not pose a public safety risk. The bill also modifies existing requirements for community supervision, such as mandatory jail time, and adds new restrictions on good conduct time calculations. These changes will only apply to offenses committed on or after September 1, 2025, ensuring that individuals who committed offenses before this date will be processed under the previous legal framework. The bill aims to create stricter consequences for intoxication manslaughter to potentially deter such crimes and ensure more substantial punishment for offenders.

Justice

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB764