Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Bill To Reform Parole Hearings Approved By Senate
WEST VIRGINIA....
The Senate on Tuesday unanimously approved an amended version of a bill limiting parole hearings for offenders serving life terms with mercy. The Senate Judiciary Committee amended the bill to restore language allowing the Parole Board to limit their hearings to every three years. The bill passed the House of Delegates the first day of the regular legislative session. On Monday, the Senate Judiciary Committee also passed the bill. The legislation is an effort to change an unintended consequence of a bill passed last year that expanded parole consideration for certain non-violent offenders in an effort to address prison overpopulation. Part of that bill, however, included some violent criminals who are serving life sentences with mercy. Those offenders are now able to come up for parole every year, instead of every three years. Delegates must agree to the Senate's changes before it can go to Acting Governor Earl Ray Tomblin.
The Senate on Tuesday unanimously approved an amended version of a bill limiting parole hearings for offenders serving life terms with mercy. The Senate Judiciary Committee amended the bill to restore language allowing the Parole Board to limit their hearings to every three years. The bill passed the House of Delegates the first day of the regular legislative session. On Monday, the Senate Judiciary Committee also passed the bill. The legislation is an effort to change an unintended consequence of a bill passed last year that expanded parole consideration for certain non-violent offenders in an effort to address prison overpopulation. Part of that bill, however, included some violent criminals who are serving life sentences with mercy. Those offenders are now able to come up for parole every year, instead of every three years. Delegates must agree to the Senate's changes before it can go to Acting Governor Earl Ray Tomblin.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 9:23 PM 
