For those of you who are looking for arguments as to why Life Without Parole is a fiction, take a look at HB 1670, which passed in the 78th Regular Session of the Legislature.

The bill creates some new loopholes for early release.

An inmate serving a life sentence for capital murder may be released from prison by the vote of merely 2 parole board members for health reasons. Now, I assume you, as a prosecutor, had to get the unanimous vote of 12 jurors to get your sentence.

This is the sort of loophole that will be abused. There is no such thing as Life Without Parole. The very people who sponsor it will be the same people sponsoring these sorts of loopholes.

And, even more appalling, is the loophole for deportation. If you happened to be a citizen of another country when you committed your nonviolent crime, you can go free back to your home merely on the vote of two people who decide you are no longer a threat to public safety. What about paying for your crime? Is that no longer why we sentence people?

I clicked on the link for HB 1670, and it shows it passed the legis., but it doesn't appear to have been signed by the gov. When I went to the Texas Legislature page, and put in HB 1670, it couldn't find such a bill.

Is HB 1670 law?

Terry, you probably just neglected to reset the session for 78th Legislature--Regular Session. Currently, the default is the 2d called session. I make that mistake all the time. It shows that the Governor signed HB 1670 on 6/18 and it is effective 9/1.

Texas really is the land of opportunity for the foreign criminal, isn't it? An ambitious young criminal can come here--legally or illegally, it doesn't matter--and go into the crime business. If he's caught he is just sent home, while his American "business partner" must incur a much higher cost of doing business, namely he must do his time in the TDC.