Florida Senate - 2022 SB 1168



By Senator Bracy





11-01552-22 20221168__
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 specified inmates; establishing eligibility for
10 referral for participation in the program; providing
11 program requirements; providing that inmates may be
12 removed from the program under certain circumstances;
13 requiring that participating inmates receive a
14 certificate of completion upon successful completion
15 of the program; providing that successful completion
16 of the program does not guarantee parole; requiring
17 the commission and the department to adopt rules;
18 providing an effective date.
19
20 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
21
22 Section 1. Subsection (6) is added to section 947.002,
23 Florida Statutes, to read:
24 947.002 Intent.—
25 (6) The commission shall consider an inmate’s institutional
26 achievements, lack of disciplinary report, and all indications
27 of the lack of risk to the public in the decision to parole an
28 inmate from the incarceration portion of his or her sentence.
29 Section 2. Section 947.136, Florida Statutes, is created to
30 read:
31 947.136 Long-term inmate program.—
32 (1) The commission and the department shall jointly develop
33 a long-term inmate program, housed within the department, to
34 prepare inmates eligible for parole under this chapter for
35 reintegration into the community.
36 (2) The long-term inmate program is a voluntary program
37 that provides evidence-based programming to inmates who are
38 within 3 years of their presumptive parole release date as
39 established by the commission under s. 947.172.
40 (3) Inmates must be referred by the commission for
41 participation in the long-term inmate program before the
42 department places the inmate in the program. An inmate who meets
43 all of the following criteria may be referred by the commission
44 for placement in the program:
45 (a) Does not have factors, as identified in rule, that
46 would preclude placement at an institution operating a long-term
47 inmate program.
48 (b) Is serving a parole-eligible sentence. Inmates who
49 subsequently receive a parole-ineligible sentence may be
50 considered for participation on a case-by-case basis.
51 (4) To successfully complete the long-term inmate program,
52 participating inmates must, at a minimum:
53 (a) Complete at least 250 hours of community service
54 projects, as approved by the department;
55 (b) Participate in at least 100 hours of enrichment
56 programs, as defined by rule; and
57 (c) Complete an evidence-based curriculum as provided in
58 rule which, at a minimum, addresses:
59 1. Anger management;
60 2. Critical thinking;
61 3. Educational and vocational needs;
62 4. Family relationships;
63 5. Lifestyle and wellness;
64 6. Substance use disorder treatment; and
65 7. Victim impact.
66 (5) Inmates participating in the long-term inmate program
67 are expected to perform their duties and assignments as
68 instructed by their assignment supervisor. Inmates who fail to
69 complete duties and assignments as instructed may be removed
70 from the program.
71 (6) Upon successful completion of the long-term inmate
72 program, an inmate shall be awarded a certificate of completion.
73 Successful completion of the program does not guarantee that an
74 inmate will be paroled, and program participation may not extend
75 the length of the inmate’s sentence.
76 (7) The commission and the department shall adopt rules to
77 implement the long-term inmate program.
78 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022.