Creates provisions relating to parole eligibility

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Creates provisions relating to parole eligibility

The following summaries of this bill are available: Print All Summaries Introduced Print SB 1335 - This act provides that an offender shall be eligible to receive a parole hearing after serving 30 years or more of his or her sentence if such offender: • Is incarcerated in a correctional facility after being sentenced by a court; • Is 65 years of age or older; and • Has no felony convictions for the offense of murder in the first degree.

What This Bill Does

• The following summaries of this bill are available: Print All Summaries Introduced Print SB 1335 - This act provides that an offender shall be eligible to receive a parole hearing after serving 30 years or more of his or her sentence if such offender: • Is incarcerated in a correctional facility after being sentenced by a court; • Is 65 years of age or older; and • Has no felony convictions for the offense of murder in the first degree.
• During the parole hearing, the Parole Board ("Board") shall determine if there is a reasonable probability the offender will not violate the law upon release.
• If the Board determines a reasonable probability exists, the offender shall be eligible for release upon a find that the offender has a record of good conduct while incarcerated, demonstrated self-rehabilitation, developed a workable parole plan, and has a risk factor and mental health score as provided in the act.
• Any offender released under this act shall be subject to supervision by the Board for five years or until the expiration of his or her sentence, whichever occurs earlier.

Limits and Unknowns

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Official Summary Text

The following summaries of this bill are available:

Print All Summaries

Introduced

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SB 1335 - This act provides that an offender shall be eligible to receive a parole hearing after serving 30 years or more of his or her sentence if such offender:
• Is incarcerated in a correctional facility after being sentenced by a court;
• Is 65 years of age or older; and
• Has no felony convictions for the offense of murder in the first degree.

During the parole hearing, the Parole Board ("Board") shall determine if there is a reasonable probability the offender will not violate the law upon release. If the Board determines a reasonable probability exists, the offender shall be eligible for release upon a find that the offender has a record of good conduct while incarcerated, demonstrated self-rehabilitation, developed a workable parole plan, and has a risk factor and mental health score as provided in the act.

Any offender released under this act shall be subject to supervision by the Board for five years or until the expiration of his or her sentence, whichever occurs earlier. If the Board does not grant parole to an offender who qualifies under this act, the offender shall be eligible for a parole reconsideration hearing every two years until a presumptive release date is established.

This act is substantially similar to SB 438 (2025), SB 1218 (2024), SB 581 (2023), SB 995 (2022), HB 2134 (2022), HB 277 (2021), and HB 1078 (2019) and is similar to SB 234 (2025), SB 341 (2025), SB 914 (2024), SB 1147 (2024), SB 147 (2023) and SB 714 (2022).
TRISTAN BENSON, JR.

Current Bill Text

SECOND REGULAR SESSION
SENATE BILL NO. 1335
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR WASHINGTON.
4760S.01I KRISTINA MARTIN, Secretary
AN ACT
To amend chapter 217, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to parole eligibility.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 217, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto 1
one new section, to be known as section 217.697, to read as 2
follows:3
217.697. 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of 1
law to the contrary, any offender who: 2
(1) Is incarcerated in a correctional facility after 3
being sentenced by a court of this state; 4
(2) Is sixty-five years of age or older; and 5
(3) Has no felony conviction for the offense of murder 6
in the first degree under section 565.020; 7
shall receive a parole hearing upon serving thirty years or 8
more of his or her sentence. 9
2. During the parole hearing required under subsection 10
1 of this section, the parole board shall determine whether 11
there is a reasonable probability the offender shall live 12
and remain at liberty without violating the law upon 13
release. If the board determines a reasonable probability 14
exists, the offender shall be eligible for release upon a 15
finding that the offender has: 16
(1) A record of good conduct while incarcerated; 17
SB 1335 2
(2) Demonstrated self-rehabilitation while 18
incarcerated; 19
(3) A workable parole plan, including community and 20
family support; 21
(4) An institutional risk factor score no higher than 22
one; and 23
(5) A mental health score of one, two, or three. 24
3. Any offender granted parole under this section 25
shall be subject to supervision by the division of probation 26
and parole upon release for a minimum of five years or until 27
the expiration of the offender's sentence, whichever occurs 28
earlier. 29
4. If the board does not grant parole to an offender 30
who qualifies for parole eligibility under subsection 1 of 31
this section, the offender shall be eligible for a parole 32
reconsideration hearing every two years until a presumptive 33
release date is established. 34
5. Nothing in this section shall diminish the 35
consideration of parole under any other provision of law 36
applicable to the offender or the responsibility and 37
authority of the governor to grant clemency, including 38
pardons and commutation of sentences if necessary or 39
desirable. 40
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