Hope for Texas Prisoners:
How H.B. 2940 Could
Change Everything
If passed, this legislation would dramatically alter parole eligibility, giving many prisoners a chance at freedom much sooner than expected.
For families with incarcerated loved ones, the parole process can feel like an endless waiting game—especially for those serving aggravated sentences, where parole eligibility is often decades away. But a new bill introduced in the Texas House, H.B.2940, could change everything. If passed, this legislation would dramatically alter parole eligibility, giving many prisoners a chance at freedom much sooner than expected.
What Is H.B. 2940?
H.B.2940, introduced by Representative Venton Jones of Dallas on February 18, 2025, aims to revise the way good conduct time is awarded to inmates and change parole eligibility requirements.
The bill was referred to the House Corrections Committee on March 19, 2025, where it is currently under review.
PETITIONS
Show your support for this bill by signing
the petition below and let Texas Law
Makers know that we want this BILL!!!
Victoria Guerra of San Antonio, Texas started
this Petition a month ago, [March 2025]
Subject Issue: A Call for Fairness and Second Chances
Imagine you got sentenced to prison before September 1st ,2015, so you cant earn credit for courses or any work that you have do while incarcerated, but the person who was sentenced on or after September 1st,2015 is eligible! Does that sound right to you?!
Let’s face some facts: prisons are overpopulated and understaffed; there are many offenders in the Texas Department of criminal justice system that have been over sentenced and over looked. It seems unfair and unjust that recent offenders have more of an opportunity to come home sooner, after committing more recent crimes because of the passing of the 2011 Hb2649, rather than others who have done longer sentences and have been applying their time positively and have changed their lives around. HB2649 states that offenders after 2015 can earn time credits towards parole eligibility but that means anyone who committed a crime and was over sentence before 2015 doesn’t get the same opportunity!!
Another fact is that nowadays people sentences aren’t as long as they would have been given in the past, so when you think about that and put it all together it just doesn’t make sense, it is plain out wrong!
There are many success stories, rarely discussed, about how people conform positively after prison and continue to “Shatter All Present Obstacles”. We ask you to sign this petition so that the “Texas Earned Time Credit” (House Bill 2940) gets voted on and passed this year! All Lives Matter!
Let’s give people a second chance at living outside of prison walls, especially if they are considered less likely to reoffend! Let’s help to make sure this bill doesn’t go dead again, gets voted on and passed!! #S.A.P.O. #2025isthe year! sign the petition so these people are heard and have the same opportunity at freedom!
Together, we can make 2025 the year of second chances.
📢 Sign the petition today and help us spread the word. Share this message with your friends, family, and community. Let’s ensure that these voices are heard and that every individual has the same opportunity for freedom.
Show your support for this bill by signing
the petition below and let Texas Law
Makers know that we want this BILL!!!
Kacie Glass of Fort Worth, Texas started
this Petition 3 weeks ago, [March 2025]
Subject Issue: A Call for Redemption:
Support HB 2940 for 3G Offenders
Many of us are personally affected by the current standing of our legal system and its treatment of 3G offenders. My husband for instance, is serving a 25 years sentence for a firearms-related offence but has shown enormous commitment to right his wrongs and turn around his life. He, like many in similar circumstances, is determined to become a better person, an effort significantly promoted by the correctional programs he’s involved in. Regrettably, our system does not reward this improvement for such offenders. This must change. HB 2940 as proposed, offers the opportunity to remedy this fault. The bill seeks to reward 3G offenders who complete correctional programs with good time credits. This policy not only encourages personal reform but could potentially lower crime rates as well. A study by the Bureau of Justice Statistics found that correctional education lowers long-term recidivism by 43% – a substantial impact that speaks volumes about the value of these programs, if adequately incentivized (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2013). HB 2940 is more than a piece of legislature – it stands for hope, reform, and recognition of hard-earned personal growth. It is time we support redemption and reward inmates’ resolve to better themselves for a hopeful return to the society. Let’s rally behind a change that can benefit both the individuals involved and the society at large. Vote to pass the HB 2940 for the deserving 3G offenders. Sign this petition, and let your signatures vibrate the halls of our legislative bodies.
Together, we can make 2025 the year of second chances.
📢 Sign the petition today and help us spread the word. Share this message with your friends, family, and community. Let’s ensure that these voices are heard and that every individual has the same opportunity for freedom.
Under current Texas law, inmates serving aggravated sentences often face extremely long parole ineligibility periods, regardless of their rehabilitation efforts. H.B.2940 seeks to reward inmates who demonstrate good behavior and actively participate in educational, vocational, and treatment programs by allowing them to earn good conduct time toward their parole eligibility.
How Would This Bill
Change Parole Eligibility?
If passed, H.B.2940 would allow inmates to accrue good conduct time based on their participation in rehabilitative programs, including:
- Educational courses
Course Corrections:- The Return of Prison Education
The Texas Observer – On a lower level of the Wynne Unit, a state prison in Huntsville, about 20 men in white jumpsuits and matching white sneakers sit around the perimeter of a room. Their attention is focused on Paul Allen, who stands in front of them. He’s a familiar face in the unit of about 3,000 male prisoners: He’s been teaching there for years. Today, he’s leading the men through their capstone business course, for many the final step on the path to getting their associate of applied science degrees in business.
Course Corrections:- The Return of Prison Education
Course Corrections:- The Return of Prison Education
Improving Prison Education Programs
Brookings.edu – As of July 2023, incarcerated students are again eligible for Pell Grants to support their enrollment in approved prison education programs (PEPs). This major policy shift comes after a widespread “Second Chance Pell Experiment” in which the Department of Education invited colleges to pilot using federal financial aid at state and federal prisons. Between 2016 and 2022, the program awarded aid that enabled students to earn almost 12,000 credentials, with many students still enrolled and completing degree requirements.
- Vocational training
- Substance abuse treatment
- Work programs
For example, under the proposed law, an inmate classified as a trusty could earn up to 30 days of good conduct time for every 30 days served, significantly reducing their time before parole eligibility.
Imagine a prisoner serving a 40-year sentence for an aggravated offense who, under current law, would not be eligible for parole for at least 20 years. With H.B.2940, if they actively participate in rehabilitative programs, they could become eligible for parole much sooner, potentially cutting years off their wait time.
This bill recognizes the efforts of inmates who are working toward rehabilitation and gives them a real opportunity to prove they are ready for reintegration into society.
Why This Matters
for Families
For families who have spent years hoping and waiting, this bill represents a beacon of hope. It acknowledges that people can change, that rehabilitation matters, and that incarcerated individuals deserve a second chance.
If H.B.2940 becomes law, many prisoners who thought they had no chance at parole for decades could suddenly find themselves eligible for review immediately. This means families could reunite sooner, and loved ones could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.
By including verified proof of educational and rehabilitative achievements, families can demonstrate to the parole board that their loved one has taken meaningful steps toward reintegration. This additional documentation can be the deciding factor in a parole hearing, showing that the individual is prepared for a successful return to society.
What You Can Do
If you have a loved one in prison, now is the time to stay informed and take action. Understanding the parole process and how this bill could impact your loved one’s eligibility is crucial.
To learn more about how H.B.2940 could affect your loved one’s case, visit TopTexasParoleAttorneys.org and connect with a Texas parole attorney who can explain the details in depth.
For example, Attorney Mary E. Samaan, the top-ranked Texas parole attorney, has extensive experience navigating parole eligibility changes and could provide valuable insight—or you can speak with any one of the Texas parole attorneys on our website.
This Top Texas Parole News article was made possible by the Institute for Attorney Oversight, the authority on all parole-related matters in Texas. Stay informed, stay hopeful, and let’s work toward a better future for Texas prisoners and their families.