HBA-JEK H.B. 1583 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1583 By: Gallego Corrections 3/4/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The pardons and parole division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (division) is responsible for the investigation and supervision of all persons released on parole or to mandatory supervision. Under current law, the director of the department must establish qualifications for the division's parole officers and supervisors that are the same as those established for community supervision and corrections department officers. The standards, including the requirement that an officer have a bachelor's degree, do not always meet the functional needs of the division. House Bill 1583 gives the division director more discretion in the hiring of parole officers and supervisors. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 1583 amends the Government Code to remove the provision that requires the director of the pardons and parole division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to establish qualifications for parole officers and supervisors that are the same as the standards for community supervision and corrections department officers. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001.