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.