Parole Board; parole review and denial. (HB2103)

Introduced By

Del. Mark Sickles (D-Alexandria) with support from co-patrons Del. Delores McQuinn (D-Richmond), Del. Roslyn Tyler (D-Jarratt), and Sen. Jennifer McClellan (D-Richmond)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Parole Board; parole review and denial. Requires the Parole Board to ensure that each person eligible for parole receives a timely and thorough review of his suitability for release on parole, including a review of any material post-sentencing factors. If the Board denies the inmate parole, the Board is required to deliver a written, fact-specific, and individualized statement of the reasons for such denial. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Passed

History

DateAction
01/09/2013Committee
01/09/2013Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/09/13 13103721D
01/09/2013Referred to Committee on Militia, Police and Public Safety
01/15/2013Assigned MPPS sub: #2
01/17/2013Subcommittee recommends reporting (8-Y 0-N)
01/18/2013Reported from Militia, Police and Public Safety with substitute (22-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
01/18/2013Committee substitute printed 13104181D-H1
01/21/2013Read first time
01/22/2013Read second time
01/22/2013Committee substitute agreed to 13104181D-H1
01/22/2013Engrossed by House - committee substitute HB2103H1
01/23/2013Read third time and passed House BLOCK VOTE (98-Y 0-N)
01/23/2013VOTE: BLOCK VOTE PASSAGE (98-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
01/24/2013Constitutional reading dispensed
01/24/2013Referred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services
02/08/2013Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services (14-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/11/2013Constitutional reading dispensed (39-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/12/2013Read third time
02/12/2013Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/18/2013Enrolled
02/18/2013Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB2103ER)
02/18/2013Signed by Speaker
02/19/2013Signed by President
02/22/2013Impact statement from DPB (HB2103ER)
03/23/2013G Approved by Governor-Chapter 708 (effective 7/1/13)
03/23/2013G Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0708)

Video

This bill was discussed on the floor of the General Assembly. Below is all of the video that we have of that discussion, 1 clip in all, totaling 1 minute.

Comments

ACLU-VA Prisoners' Rights, tracking this bill in Photosynthesis, notes:

The ACLU of Virginia supports legislation that gives parole eligible inmates due process and fairness as required by the Constitution. This bill requires the Parole Board to make clear and timely determinations to grant parole based on material factors and if parole is denied, the Board must provide the prisoner with fact-specific, individualized reasons for the denial. Currently, the Parole Board's process lacks transparency and Virginia has one of the highest parole denial rates in the nation. Parole was abolished in 1995, but for inmates that remain eligible, most are serving sentences much longer than their counterparts who committed crimes after 1995. Many of the parole eligible prisoners have been rehabilitated, are supported by prisoner counselors, and have strong family support; however the Board frequently sends boilerplate rejections citing “serious nature and circumstances of crime.”

STAND INC. writes:

Virginia has an incredibly high percentage of parole denials given the resources(millions of dollars and federal grants)being expended on prisoner rehabilitation and re-entry programs.STAND believes these VADOC programs work. Their loved ones are proof of these rehabilitative and re-entry programs' effectiveness, having instilled positive, cognitive self-changes in men and women suitable for release as productive, law-abiding members of society. The nature of the crimes committed will never change but many "Parole Eligible Offenders" have changed.

ACLU-VA Open Government, tracking this bill in Photosynthesis, notes:

ACLU of Virginia supports this legislation that, as amended in committee, will assure those denied parole a statement of reasons for the denial.