This bill proposes significant updates to the Arizona Revised Statutes regarding sentencing and parole eligibility for individuals who committed offenses before the age of eighteen. Under the new provisions, individuals sentenced to a minimum of natural life or life imprisonment will be eligible for parole upon serving their minimum sentence, which is defined as twenty-five years for certain offenses and thirty-five years for others. The bill also clarifies that if granted parole, individuals will remain on parole as per existing regulations, with the possibility of revocation.

Additionally, the bill retroactively applies to all convictions for offenses committed by individuals under eighteen, ensuring that any prior sentences that do not align with the new parole eligibility criteria will be adjusted to include such eligibility. The intent of the legislation is to recognize the developmental differences between juveniles and adults, emphasizing rehabilitation and the potential for change, thereby mandating parole eligibility for all juvenile offenders and limiting the maximum time before eligibility to thirty-five years.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 13-716, 13-751, 13-752, 13-1423, 13-2308.01, 31-415, 31-412, 13-1105, 13-1101, 13-303, 13-701, 13-1404, 13-1405, 13-1406, 13-1410, 13-703, 13-704, 13-705, 13-706, 13-708