SB 1147 - This act provides that an offender shall be eligible to receive a parole hearing after serving 30 years or more of his or her sentence if such offender:• Is incarcerated in a correctional facility after being sentenced by a court;
• Is serving a sentence of life without parole for the offense of first or second degree murder prior to October 1, 1984;
• Is 60 years of age or older;
• Has no felony convictions prior to the conviction for which he or she is currently incarcerated; and
• Is not a convicted sex offender.
During the parole hearing, the parole board shall determine if there is a reasonable probability the offender will not violate the law upon release. If the board determines a reasonable probability exists, the offender shall be eligible for release upon a finding that the offender has a record of good conduct while incarcerated, demonstrated self-rehabilitation, developed a workable parole plane, and has a risk factor and mental health score determined appropriate by the board.
Any offender released under this act shall be subject to a minimum of five years of supervision by the board.
This act is identical to SB 914 (2024), SB 147 (2023), and SB 714 (2022) and substantially similar to SB 1218 (2024), SB 995 (2022), HB 2134 (2022), and HB 277 (2021).
MARY GRACE PRINGLE