AUSTIN - Juvenile convicts who attempt to escape are in for harsher punishment under Senate Bill (SB) 152. The bill makes the escape of a high-risk inmate from a juvenile correctional facility a third degree felony. Currently, it is only a misdemeanor. An increase in escapes and attempted escapes at state juvenile correctional facilities prompted the change. Dallas Senator Royce West sponsored the bill which passed the Senate unanimously.

Legislation opening the electric utility market to competition passed out of the Senate Electric Utility Restructuring Committee today. The committee discussed more than fifty amendments to the Committee Substitute for Senate Bill (CSSB) 7. Legislators are trying to work out a proposal designed to benefit consumers with more options and lower prices, while protecting electric companies from losing their investments. Committee Chair David Sibley of Waco said last week he would try to get the bill to the Senate floor by March 17 and expects many more amendments at that time. He estimates the document will be more than 200 pages long by the time it gets to the full Senate.

The Senate will reconvene tomorrow, Tuesday March 9, at 10:00 a.m.

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