Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Bill advances to allow early parole; 517 current inmates eligible

CARSON CITY – A bill that would allow hundreds of prison inmates to apply for parole earlier has been approved by the Assembly Judiciary Committee with only two dissenting votes.

Connie Bisbee, chairwoman of the state Parole Board, told the committee Friday that Assembly Bill 136 would make 517 inmates immediately eligible to apply for release. Based on the current grant rate of 63 percent, 326 prisoners would be freed earlier.

The bill allows good behavior and educational credits to be applied to a minimum sentence for certain crimes. As an example, a convict with a 2-10 year sentence would be able to apply for release after one year.

The grant rate decreases among more severe crimes, she said.

Assemblyman Mark Sherwood, R-Henderson, said the bill is meant to give the parole board more discretion.

Voting against the bill were Ira Hansen, R-Sparks, and Kelly Kite, R-Minden. Hansen said he opposed the bill because it was retroactive. Hansen said 20 percent of those paroled are returned to prison for some violation.

But Assemblyman James Ohrenschall, D-Las Vegas, said the measure would allow more efficiency of prison resources.

The bill goes to the floor of the Assembly for a vote.

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