The department may forfeit or suspend an inmate’s good conduct time when the inmate commits an offense or breaks a department rule, but it cannot restore forfeited time under subsection (a).
Sec. 498.004. FORFEITURE AND RESTORATION OF GOOD CONDUCT TIME. (a) If, during the actual term of imprisonment of an inmate in the department, the inmate commits an offense or violates a rule of the department, the department may forfeit all or any part of the inmate's accrued good conduct time or, in accordance with the policy adopted under Subsection (c), place all or any part of the inmate's accrued good conduct time in suspension. The department may not restore good conduct time forfeited under this subsection but may reinstate good conduct time suspended under this subsection. Text of subsection as amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 249, Sec. 4 (b) On the revocation of parole or mandatory supervision of an inmate, the inmate forfeits all good conduct time previously accrued. On return to the institutional division the inmate may accrue new good conduct time for subsequent time served in the division. The department may not restore good conduct time forfeited on a revocation. Text of subsection as amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 321, Sec. 1.049 (b) On the revocation of parole or mandatory supervision of an inmate, the inmate forfeits all good conduct time previously accrued. On return to the institutional division the inmate may accrue new good conduct time for subsequent time served in the division. The department may restore good conduct time forfeited on a revocation that does not involve a new criminal conviction after the inmate has served at least three months of good behavior in the institutional division, subject to policies established by the division. (c) The department shall establish a policy regarding the suspension of good conduct time under Subsection (a). The policy must provide that: (1) the department will consider the severity of an inmate's offense or violation in determining whether to suspend all or part of the inmate's good conduct time instead of forfeiting the inmate's good conduct time; (2) during any period of suspension, good conduct time placed in suspension may not be used: (A) for purposes of granting privileges to an inmate; or (B) to compute an inmate's eligibility for parole under Section 508.145 or to determine an inmate's date of release to mandatory supervision under Section 508.147; (3) at the conclusion of any period of suspension, the department may forfeit or reinstate the good conduct time placed in suspension based on the inmate's conduct during the period of the suspension; and (4) in determining whether to forfeit or reinstate good conduct time placed in suspension, the department must consider whether any impact to public safety is likely to result from the inmate's release on parole or to mandatory supervision if the good conduct time is reinstated. Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 212, Sec. 2.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1989. Renumbered from Sec. 497.004 and amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 16, Sec. 10.01(a), eff. Aug. 26, 1991. Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 249, Sec. 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 321, Sec. 1.049, eff. Sept. 1, 1995. Amended by: Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1251 (H.B. 93), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2009. Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 126 (H.B. 719), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2021.