BILL NUMBER: S8950
SPONSOR: MURRAY
 
TITLE OF BILL:
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY proposing an amendment
to article 5 of the constitution, in relation to establishing a state
board of parole
 
PURPOSE:
To amend the State Constitution to create a State Board of Parole
comprised of members elected by the citizens of New York State.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends Article 5 of the State Constitution by adding a new
Section 8, which creates a constitutionally mandated State Board of
Parole. Such board is comprised of 17 members: (1) one member, the head
of the Board of Parole, which is elected by all voters in the state; (2)
eleven members chosen by the voters in each judicial district; and (3)
five members appointed by the Governor and the Majority and Minority
Leaders in the Senate and Assembly.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Under current law, the members of the Parole Board are all appointed by
the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate. These Parole
Board members have complete authority to determine what felony offenders
are released from incarceration to parole. In recent years, the Parole
Board has established a trend of leniency for criminals, which has
resulted in the release of dangerous offenders back into our communi-
ties. With the current system, there is no accountability for the
members of the Parole Board when they release a violent offender who
continues to threaten the safety of the public. Given the significant
power that the Parole Board has over public safety in this state, these
members should be accountable to the voters of the state. This bill
would ensure that voters have more say in who is making these important
decisions and would be able to remove Parole Board member who disregard
public safety.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Resolved (if the Assembly concur), that the foregoing be referred to the
first regular legislative session convening after the next succeeding
general election of members of the assembly, and, in conformity with
section 1 of article 19 of the constitution, be published for 3 months
previous to the time of such election.