Sec. 508.036.   GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES.  (a)  The presiding officer shall:
(1)  develop and implement policies that clearly separate the policy-making responsibilities of the board and the management responsibilities of the board administrator, parole commissioners, and the staff of the board;
(2)  establish caseloads and required work hours for members of the board and parole commissioners;
(3)  update parole guidelines, assign precedential value to previous decisions of the board relating to the granting of parole and the revocation of parole or mandatory supervision, and develop policies to ensure that members of the board and parole commissioners use guidelines and previous decisions of the board and parole commissioners in making decisions under this chapter;
(4)  require members of the board and parole commissioners to file activity reports that provide information on release decisions made by members of the board and parole commissioners, the workload and hours worked of the members of the board and parole commissioners, and the use of parole guidelines by members of the board and parole commissioners;  and
(5)  report at least annually to the governor and the legislature on the activities of the board and parole commissioners, parole release decisions, and the use of parole guidelines by the board and parole commissioners.
(b)  The board shall:
(1)  adopt rules relating to the decision-making processes used by the board and parole panels;
(2)  prepare information of public interest describing the functions of the board and make the information available to the public and appropriate state agencies;
(3)  comply with federal and state laws related to program and facility accessibility; and
(4)  develop and implement policies that provide the public with a reasonable opportunity to appear before the board and to speak on any issue under the jurisdiction of the board, with the exception of an individual parole determination or clemency recommendation.
(c)  The board administrator shall prepare and maintain a written plan that describes how a person who does not speak English can be provided reasonable access to the board's programs and services.
(d)  The board, in performing its duties, is subject to the open meetings law, Chapter 551, and the administrative procedure law, Chapter 2001.  This subsection does not affect the provisions of Section 2001.223 exempting hearings and interviews conducted by the board or the division from Section 2001.038 and Subchapters C-H, Chapter 2001.
(e)  The board, in accordance with the rules and procedures of the Legislative Budget Board, shall prepare, approve, and submit a legislative appropriations request that is separate from the legislative appropriations request for the department and is used to develop the board's budget structure.  The board shall maintain the board's legislative appropriations request and budget structure separately from those of the department.
Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 12.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.  Amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 62, Sec. 10.06, eff. Sept. 1, 1999;  Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 856, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 2001;  Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1170, Sec. 31.01, eff. Sept. 1, 2003;  Acts 2003, 78th Leg., 3rd C.S., ch. 3, Sec. 11.07, eff. Jan. 11, 2004.
Amended by: 
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1308 (S.B. 909), Sec. 34, eff. June 15, 2007.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1308 (S.B. 909), Sec. 35, eff. June 15, 2007.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1083 (S.B. 1179), Sec. 9, eff. June 17, 2011.