The bill proposes amendments to chapters 217 and 558 of Missouri law by introducing two new sections, 217.738 and 558.500, which establish new criteria for sentence reductions and parole eligibility for certain offenders. Under section 558.500, a sentencing court may reduce a life sentence without eligibility for parole or a sentence of thirty years or more to one with eligibility for parole if the offender has served at least thirty years, was under twenty at the time of the offense, and has demonstrated rehabilitation through various programs and good behavior in prison. Section 217.738 outlines the requirements for offenders seeking a reduction of sentence under section 558.500 to be eligible for supervised release. This includes a hearing before the parole board and the submission of at least five statements from corrections employees regarding the offender's conduct, signed statements from twenty community residents supporting the release, and a secure home plan for reentry. Additionally, the bill mandates that any convicted person receiving a sentence reduction will be supervised by the division of probation and parole for the duration of their life.

Statutes affected:
Introduced (5944H.01): 217.738, 558.500