Objective Parole Guidelines

Plain English Breakdown

The bill status shows it passed both chambers but also lists an action where it died in subcommittee; this contradiction suggests uncertainty about final enactment despite the effective date listed.

Objective Parole Guidelines

This bill updates Florida's rules for parole decisions to rely on research-based factors and requires yearly statistical reports be sent to state lawmakers.

What This Bill Does

• Requires the commission to create parole guidelines using an acceptable research method based on crime seriousness and inmate progress in programs.
• Stops the addition of consecutive sentences when calculating a presumptive release date.
• Allows judges' written objections to be used as reasons to delay an inmate's release.
• Requires yearly reviews of parole rules using statistical analysis.
• Mandates that the commission send its annual statistical report to state lawmakers.

Who It Names or Affects

• The Florida Commission responsible for parole decisions
• Inmates currently in or entering the prison system
• Sentencing judges who may file objections to release
• State legislators including the Senate President and House Speaker

Terms To Know

Objective Parole Guidelines

Written rules that decide when an inmate can be released based on facts like crime severity and program completion.

Presumptive parole release date

The expected date an inmate will be eligible for release unless specific reasons delay it.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill text does not list the exact programs or courses inmates must complete.
• It is unclear how much a judge's written objection can extend a release date beyond the original calculation.
• The specific statistical methods for yearly reviews are described only as 'acceptable research' without further detail.

Official Summary Text

Objective Parole Guidelines; Provides additional requirements for objective parole guidelines; requires specified statistical analysis to be provided to Legislature.

Current Bill Text

HB 61 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb61-00
Page 1 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to objective parole guidelines; 2
amending s. 947.165, F.S.; providing additional 3
requirements for objective parole guidelines; 4
requiring a specified statistical analysis to be 5
provided to the Legislature; providing an effective 6
date. 7
8
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 9
10
Section 1. Section 947.165, Florida Statutes, is amended 11
to read: 12
947.165 Objective parole guidelines.— 13
(1) The commission shall develop and implement objective 14
parole guidelines which shall be the criteria upon which parole 15
decisions are made. The objective parole guidelines shall be 16
developed according to an acceptable research method and shall 17
be based on the seriousness of offense and the likelihood of 18
favorable parole outcome by identifying an inmate's use of 19
vocation, education, and self-betterment programs and courses in 20
the department. The guidelines shall require the commission to 21
not aggravate or aggregate each consecutive sentence in 22
establishing the presumptive parole release date. Factors used 23
in arriving at the salient factor score and the severity of 24
offense behavior category may shall not be applied as 25

HB 61 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb61-00
Page 2 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

aggravating circumstances. If the sentencing judge files a 26
written objection to the parole release of an inmate as provided 27
for in s. 947.1745(6), such objection may be used by the 28
commission as a basis to extend the presumptive parole release 29
date. 30
(2) At least once a year, the commission shall review the 31
objective parole guidelines and make any revisions considered 32
necessary by virtue of statistical analysis of commission 33
actions, which analysis uses acceptable research and 34
methodology. The statistical analysis shall be provided to the 35
President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of 36
Representatives upon completion. 37
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 38