In the last week of the session, legislators tossed out a chance to fix one problem with the state's broken parole system. Grits for Breakfast has posted information about Chairman John Whitmire's attempt to pass SB 838, which would have limited prison time for technical parole revocations. The bill died a slow death during session, intially passing out of the higher chamber with a vote of 31-0, but failing to make it to the floor of the House for a vote that would have sent it to the Governor's desk.

Grits reported that Whitmire even tried to water down the bill and amend the dead bill onto HB 3200 on the floor.

But that was not the end of the story. Those watching the Texas legislative process know that HB 3200 had to be accepted by the House author, Chairman Jerry Madden, with amendments in order for the watered down parole measure to finally pass. That did not happen.

I was watching the House floor that day and saw Madden reject Whitmire's amendment, citing that parole had nothing to do with the probation funding mechanism that HB 3200 established.

Madden may have been right on that, but together, probation and parole revocations significantly contribute to the state's growing prison population. Reforms on both fronts -- particularly parole -- would have had real impact on sentencing and reduce Texas' need for more prison beds.