Rhode Island 2025 Regular Session

Rhode Island Senate Bill S0301 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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5	5	2025 -- S 0301
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7	7	LC000657
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9	9	S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
12	12	____________
13	13
14	14	A N A C T
15	15	RELATING TO CRIMINALS--CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS -- PAROLE
16	16	Introduced By: Senators Quezada, Mack, and Bell
17	17	Date Introduced: February 13, 2025
18	18	Referred To: Senate Judiciary
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21	21	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
22	22	SECTION 1. Section 13-8-13 of the General Laws in Chapter 13-8 entitled "Parole" is 1
23	23	hereby amended to read as follows: 2
24	24	13-8-13. Life prisoners and prisoners with lengthy sentences. 3
25	25	(a) In the case of a prisoner sentenced to imprisonment for life, a parole permit may be 4
26	26	issued at any time after the prisoner has served not less than ten (10) years’ imprisonment; provided 5
27	27	that: 6
28	28	(1) In the case of a prisoner serving a sentence or sentences of a length making him or her 7
29	29	ineligible for a permit in less than ten (10) years, pursuant to §§ 13-8-9 and 13-8-10, the permit 8
30	30	may be issued at any time after the prisoner has served not less than ten (10) years’ imprisonment; 9
31	31	(2) In the case of a prisoner sentenced to imprisonment for life for a first- or second-degree 10
32	32	murder committed after July 10, 1989, the permit may be issued only after the prisoner has served 11
33	33	not less than fifteen (15) years’ imprisonment; 12
34	34	(3) In the case of a prisoner sentenced to imprisonment for life for a first- or second-degree 13
35	35	murder committed after June 30, 1995, the permit may be issued only after the prisoner has served 14
36	36	not less than twenty (20) years’ imprisonment; 15
37	37	(4) In the case of a prisoner sentenced to imprisonment for life for a first- or second-degree 16
38	38	murder committed after July 1, 2015, the permit may be issued only after the prisoner has served 17
39	39	not less than twenty-five (25) years’ imprisonment; and 18
40	40	(5) In the case of a prisoner sentenced to imprisonment for life for a crime, other than first- 19
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44	44	or second-degree murder, committed after July 1, 2015, the permit may be issued only after the 1
45	45	prisoner has served not less than twenty (20) years’ imprisonment. 2
46	46	(b) The permit shall be issued only by a unanimous vote of all the attending members of 3
47	47	the board; provided that not less than four (4) members are present, and whenever, after the issue 4
48	48	of the permit, the prisoner shall be pardoned, then the control of the board over the prisoner shall 5
49	49	cease and terminate. 6
50	50	(c)(1) In the case of a prisoner sentenced to imprisonment for life who is convicted of 7
51	51	escape or attempted escape from the lawful custody of the warden of the adult correctional 8
52	52	institutions, the permit may be issued only after the prisoner has served not less than twenty-five 9
53	53	(25) years’ imprisonment; provided, however, that as to a prisoner who has been sentenced to 10
54	54	imprisonment for life for a conviction of first- or second-degree murder, committed after July 1, 11
55	55	2015, and who is convicted thereafter of escape or attempted escape from the lawful custody of the 12
56	56	warden of the adult correctional institutions, the permit may be issued only after the prisoner has 13
57	57	served not less than thirty-five (35) years’ imprisonment; and 14
58	58	(2) For each subsequent conviction of escape or attempted escape, an additional five (5) 15
59	59	years shall be added to the time required to be served. 16
60	60	(d) In the case of a prisoner sentenced consecutively to more than one life term for crimes 17
61	61	occurring after May 7, 1981, the permit may be issued only after the prisoner has served not less 18
62	62	than ten (10) years consecutively on each life sentence; provided, in the case of a prisoner sentenced 19
63	63	consecutively to more than one life term for crimes occurring after June 30, 1995, the permit may 20
64	64	be issued only after the prisoner has served not less than fifteen (15) years consecutively on each 21
65	65	life sentence. In the case of a prisoner sentenced consecutively to more than one life term for crimes 22
66	66	occurring after July 1, 2015, the permit may be issued only after the prisoner has served not less 23
67	67	than twenty (20) years consecutively on each life sentence. In the case of a prisoner sentenced 24
68	68	consecutively to more than one life term for crimes, including first- or second-degree murder, 25
69	69	occurring after July 1, 2015, the permit may be issued only after the prisoner has served not less 26
70	70	than twenty-five (25) years consecutively on each life sentence. 27
71	71	(e) Any person sentenced for any offense committed prior to his or her twenty-second 28
72	72	birthday, other than a person serving life without parole, shall be eligible for parole review and a 29
73	73	parole permit may be issued after the person has served no fewer than twenty (20) years’ 30
74	74	imprisonment unless the person is entitled to earlier parole eligibility pursuant to any other 31
75	75	provisions of law. This subsection shall be given prospective and retroactive effect for all offenses 32
76	76	occurring on or after January 1, 1991. 33
77	77	(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of the general or public laws to the contrary, 34
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81	81	including, but not limited to, §§ 13-8-9 and 13-8-10, but specifically excluding any sentence 1
82	82	received under chapter 19.2 of title 12, and unless a prisoner is entitled to earlier eligibility for 2
83	83	parole pursuant to any other provision of law, a prisoner sentenced as an adult for any offense or 3
84	84	offenses committed prior to the prisoner's eighteenth birthday, shall be eligible for parole review 4
85	85	and a parole permit may be issued after the prisoner has served no fewer than fifteen (15) years 5
86	86	imprisonment. 6
87	87	SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage and shall be given prospective and 7
88	88	retroactive effect to all offenses occurring on or after January 1, 1991. 8
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95	95	EXPLANATION
96	96	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
97	97	OF
98	98	A N A C T
99	99	RELATING TO CRIMINALS--CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS -- PAROLE
100	100	***
101	101	This act would provide that prisoners who committed offenses prior to age eighteen (18) 1
102	102	and were sentenced as adults would be eligible for parole after completing fifteen (15) years of 2
103	103	their sentence. This act would not lengthen their parole eligibility should the prisoner be eligible 3
104	104	for parole earlier than fifteen (15) years. 4
105	105	This act would take effect upon passage and would be given prospective and retroactive 5
106	106	effect to all offenses occurring on or after January 1, 1991. 6
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