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2016 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 24
BY SENATOR MARTINY
CRIMINAL PROCEDURE. Provides relative to parole eligibility. (8/1/16)
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 15:574.4(B)(1) and to enact R.S. 15:574.4(A)(5), relative to
3 parole; to provide for parole consideration for certain persons; to provide for certain
4 ameliorative penalty provisions; to provide for certain terms and conditions; and to
5 provide for related matters.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 15:574.4(B)(1) is hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.
8 15:574.4(A)(5) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 ยง574.4. Parole; eligibility
10 A. * * *
11 (5) Notwithstanding Paragraph (A)(1) or Subsection (B) of this Section
12 or any other provision of law to the contrary, a person committed to the
13 Department of Public Safety and Corrections shall be eligible for parole
14 consideration upon serving fifteen years in actual custody, if all of the following
15 are applicable:
16 (a) The person was not otherwise eligible for parole consideration at an
17 earlier date.
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 24
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1 (b) The person was sentenced for an offense committed between June 29,
2 1995, and June 15, 2001.
3 (c) The person is eligible for relief under R.S. 15:308. This provision
4 includes those persons serving a life sentence with or without additional terms
5 of years.
6 B.(1) No person shall be eligible for parole consideration who has been
7 convicted of armed robbery and denied parole eligibility under the provisions of R.S.
8 14:64. Except as provided in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection, and except as
9 provided in Paragraph (A)(5) and Subsections D and E of this Section, no prisoner
10 serving a life sentence shall be eligible for parole consideration until his life sentence
11 has been commuted to a fixed term of years. No prisoner sentenced as a serial sexual
12 offender shall be eligible for parole. No prisoner may be paroled while there is
13 pending against him any indictment or information for any crime suspected of having
14 been committed by him while a prisoner. Notwithstanding any other provisions of
15 law to the contrary, a person convicted of a crime of violence and not otherwise
16 ineligible for parole shall serve at least eighty-five percent of the sentence imposed,
17 before being eligible for parole. The victim or victim's family shall be notified
18 whenever the offender is to be released provided that the victim or victim's family
19 has completed a Louisiana victim notice and registration form as provided in R.S.
20 46:1841 et seq., or has otherwise provided contact information and has indicated to
21 the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, Crime Victims Services Bureau,
22 that they desire such notification.
23 * * *
The original instrument was prepared by Michelle D. Ridge. The following
digest, which does not constitute a part of the legislative instrument, was
prepared by Alden A. Clement, Jr.
DIGEST
SB 24 Engrossed 2016 Regular Session Martiny
Present law provides for ameliorative penalty provisions and parole eligibility.
Proposed law retains present law and provides that a person committed to the Dept. of Public
Safety and Corrections is eligible for parole consideration upon serving 15 years in actual
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 24
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custody if all of the following are applicable:
(1)The person was not otherwise eligible for parole consideration at an earlier date.
(2)The person was sentenced for an offense committed between 6/29/95 and 6/15/01.
(3)The person is eligible for relief under present law relative to certain ameliorative
penalty provisions, which includes those persons serving a life sentence with or
without additional terms of years.
Effective August 1, 2016.
(Amends R.S. 15:574.4(B)(1); adds R.S. 15:574.4(A)(5))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Judiciary C to the
original bill
1. Add conditions relative to parole eligibility under proposed law.
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.