S2159 • 2026

AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINALS -- CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS -- PAROLE (Requires one elector of the parole board to be a person directly impacted by the criminal justice system who has completed the probation/parole process three (3) or more years prior to selection with a professional background in certain enumerated areas.)

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Kallman, Mack, Quezada, Lauria, Vargas, DiMario, Tikoian, Pearson, Urso, Thompson
Last action: 2026-05-12
Official status: Committee recommended measure be held for further study
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

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

AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINALS -- CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS -- PAROLE (Requires one elector of the parole board to be a person directly impacted by the criminal justice system who has completed the probation/parole process three (3) or more years prior to selection with a professional background in certain enumerated areas.)

What This Bill Does

AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINALS -- CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS -- PAROLE (Requires one elector of the parole board to be a person directly impacted by the criminal justice system who has completed the probation/parole process three (3) or more years prior to selection with a professional background in certain enumerated areas.)

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-05-12 Committee
Committee recommended measure be held for further study
2026-05-08 Rhode Island General Assembly
Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (05/12/2026)
2026-01-16 Rhode Island General Assembly
Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary

Official Summary Text

AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINALS -- CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS -- PAROLE (Requires one elector of the parole board to be a person directly impacted by the criminal justice system who has completed the probation/parole process three (3) or more years prior to selection with a professional background in certain enumerated areas.)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

S2159

2026 -- S 2159
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LC003696
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO CRIMINALS -- CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS -- PAROLE

Introduced By:
Senators Kallman, Mack, Quezada, Lauria, Vargas, DiMario, Tikoian,
Pearson, Urso, and Thompson

Date Introduced:
January 16, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Judiciary
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 13-8-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 13-8 entitled "Parole" is
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hereby amended to read as follows:
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13-8-2. Qualifications of board members.
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The seven (7) electors to be named by the governor shall have the following qualifications:
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(1)(i) One of the qualified electors shall be a psychologist or a physician who is
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professionally qualified in the field of psychiatry or neurology;
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(ii) One shall be a member in good standing of the Rhode Island bar;
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(iii) One shall be a person who is professionally trained in correctional work or in some
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closely related general field as a social work;
and
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(iv) One shall be a law enforcement officer;
and
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(v) One shall be a person formerly incarcerated or directly impacted by the criminal legal
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system who has completed the probation and parole process three (3) or more years prior with a
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background in one of the following areas: psychology, mental health and/or substance use,
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transitional housing, re-entry after incarceration, education or law.
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(2) All of the qualified electors shall be individuals who shall also have shown an interest
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in social welfare problems.

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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO CRIMINALS -- CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS -- PAROLE
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This act would require one elector of the parole board to be a person directly impacted by
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the criminal justice system who has completed the probation/parole process three (3) or more years
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prior to selection with a professional background in certain enumerated areas.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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