Florida Senate - 2021                              CS for SB 620
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Criminal Justice; and Senator Bracy
       
       
       
       
       
       591-02357-21                                           2021620c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to long-term inmates; amending s.
    3         947.002, F.S.; revising legislative intent concerning
    4         the granting of parole; creating s. 947.136, F.S.;
    5         requiring the Commission on Offender Review and the
    6         Department of Corrections to jointly develop a
    7         voluntary long-term inmate program; requiring the
    8         program to provide evidence-based programming to
    9         certain inmates; establishing eligibility for referral
   10         for participation in the program; providing program
   11         requirements; providing that inmates may be removed
   12         from the program under certain circumstances;
   13         requiring a certificate of completion upon successful
   14         completion of the program; providing that successful
   15         completion of the program does not guarantee parole;
   16         requiring the commission and the department to adopt
   17         rules; providing an effective date.
   18          
   19  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   20  
   21         Section 1. Subsection (6) is added to section 947.002,
   22  Florida Statutes, to read:
   23         947.002 Intent.—
   24         (6) The commission shall consider an inmate’s institutional
   25  achievements, lack of disciplinary report, and all indications
   26  of the lack of risk to the public in the decision to parole an
   27  inmate from the incarceration portion of his or her sentence.
   28         Section 2. Section 947.136, Florida Statutes, is created to
   29  read:
   30         947.136 Long-Term Inmate Program.—
   31         (1)The commission and the department shall jointly develop
   32  a long-term inmate program, housed within the department, for
   33  inmates who are eligible for parole under this chapter to
   34  prepare such inmates for reintegration into the community.
   35         (2)The long-term inmate program is a voluntary program
   36  that provides evidence-based programming to inmates who are
   37  within 3 years of their presumptive parole release date as
   38  established by the commission under s. 947.172.
   39         (3)Inmates must be referred by the commission for
   40  participation in the long-term inmate prior to the department
   41  placing the inmate into the program. An inmate who meets all of
   42  the following criteria may be referred by the commission for
   43  placement into the long-term inmate program:
   44         (a)Does not have factors, as identified in rule, which
   45  would preclude placement at an institution operating a long-term
   46  inmate program.
   47         (b)Must be serving a parole-eligible sentence. Inmates who
   48  have subsequently received a parole-ineligible sentence may be
   49  considered for participation on a case-by-case basis.
   50         (4)To successfully complete the long-term inmate program,
   51  inmates participating must, at a minimum:
   52         (a)Complete at least 250 hours of community service
   53  projects, as approved by the department;
   54         (b)Participate in at least 100 hours of enrichment
   55  programs, as defined by rule; and
   56         (c)Complete an evidence-based curriculum as provided in
   57  rule which, at a minimum, addresses:
   58         1. Anger management;
   59         2. Criminal thinking;
   60         3. Educational and vocational needs;
   61         4. Family relationships;
   62         5. Lifestyle and wellness;
   63         6. Substance use disorder treatment; and
   64         7. Victim impact.
   65         (5)Inmates participating in the long-term inmate program
   66  are expected to perform their duties and assignments as
   67  instructed by their assignment supervisor. Inmates who fail to
   68  complete duties and assignments as instructed may be removed
   69  from the program.
   70         (6)Upon successful completion of the program, an inmate
   71  shall be awarded a certificate of completion. Successful
   72  completion of the program does not guarantee that an inmate will
   73  be paroled and program participation may not extend the length
   74  of the inmate’s sentence.
   75         (7)The commission and the department shall adopt rules as
   76  necessary to implement the long-term inmate program.
   77         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021.