Plain English Breakdown
Checked against official source text during the last sync.
Remote Participation in Parole Hearings
This law allows inmates to attend their parole hearings remotely through phone, video conference, or other similar communication methods.
What This Bill Does
- Allows the Board of Pardons and Paroles to let inmates participate in their parole hearings via telephone, video conference, or another form of remote communication.
- Gives victims, victim's families, and others representing the victim a choice on whether they want to see or hear the inmate during the hearing.
- Requires that if there is any technical issue with the communication system during the hearing, the board must pause the hearing until it is fixed.
- Specifies that only individuals allowed by the board can speak at the parole hearing and sets rules for how these people can communicate remotely.
- Directs the Department of Corrections to provide a suitable remote communication system for each inmate to use in their parole hearings.
Who It Names or Affects
- Inmates who are eligible for parole
- The Board of Pardons and Paroles
- Victims, victim's families, and others representing the victim
Terms To Know
- Parole hearing
- A meeting where a board decides if an inmate can be released from prison early.
- Remote communication system
- Technology that allows people to talk or see each other without being in the same place, like video calls or phone calls.
Limits and Unknowns
- The law does not specify what happens if an inmate chooses not to participate remotely.
- It is unclear how this will affect victims who want face-to-face interaction with inmates during hearings.