Bill > HB2274

This bill creates a temporary commission to comprehensively review and make recommendations about certain state penal laws that are currently located outside of the Penal Code. The nine-member commission will be appointed by state officials including the governor, lieutenant governor, house speaker, Supreme Court chief justice, and presiding judge of the Court of Criminal Appeals, with members representing various parts of the criminal justice system such as prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, and legal scholars. The commission will evaluate laws, identify those that are unnecessary, unclear, duplicative, or overly broad, and make recommendations to the legislature about potential repeals or amendments. The commission is required to submit a report with its findings and specific statute recommendations by November 1, 2026, and will be automatically dissolved on December 31, 2026. Additionally, the bill makes numerous technical changes to various state laws, including modifying criminal penalties for certain offenses, moving some legal provisions between different code sections, and reducing some felony charges to misdemeanors. The bill is set to take effect on September 1, 2025, and will only apply to offenses committed on or after that date.

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https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB2274