DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of
the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of
the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Katrina Jackson HB No. 1255
Abstract: Provides relative to parole for persons convicted of crimes of violence, creates the
Programs to Reduce Recidivism Fund, and provides for the administration of, distribution
from, and appropriation of monies into the fund.
Present law provides for parole eligibility for offenders convicted of a crime of violence upon
serving 85% of the sentence imposed.
Proposed law amends present law to provide parole eligibility for these offenders upon serving
75% of the sentence imposed. Provides for prospective application of this provision of proposed
law to apply only those persons convicted on or after the effective date of proposed law.
Present law provides that a unanimous vote of the committee on parole is required to grant parole
for any person convicted of a crime of violence.
Present law provides that the committee on parole may grant parole with a majority vote for non-
violent, non-sex offenders when certain conditions are met.
Proposed law amends present law to authorize the granting of parole by majority vote for a
person convicted of a crime of violence when the conditions set forth in present law are met,
including completion of at least 100 hours of a reentry preparation program as provided by
present law.
Proposed law repeals the provision of present law which prohibits persons convicted of a crime
of violence from being eligible to participate in the reentry preparation program and thus making
such persons eligible for the granting of parole by majority vote.
Proposed law provides that these proposed law provisions regarding the majority vote and
eligibility to participate in reentry preparation programs for persons convicted of a crime of
violence are prospective and are only applicable to persons convicted on or after the effective
date of proposed law.
Proposed law creates the Programs to Reduce Recidivism Fund which shall be administered by
the La. Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Criminal Justice and the
Dept. of Public Safety and Corrections for the following purposes:
(1)To defray the operational expenses of probation and parole and reentry initiatives. (2)To assist in establishing and reimbursing the operational expenses of local corrections
rehabilitative programs.
Provides that any savings realized from the proposed law reduction in the amount of time a
person convicted of a crime of violence is required to serve prior to being eligible for parole
consideration shall be appropriated into the fund.
(Amends R.S. 15:574.2(C)(2)(a) and 574.4(B)(1); Adds R.S. 15:824.2; Repeals R.S.
15:827.1(E)(3)(b))