The bill proposes significant changes to the General Laws related to homicide, robbery, and the use of firearms in the commission of a crime. It simplifies the language regarding penalties for murder, removing specific aggravating factors that previously mandated life imprisonment without parole. The bill also establishes minimum sentences for motor vehicle robbery and specifies parole eligibility for various offenses, including first-degree murder and robbery resulting in serious bodily injury. The use of firearms in violent crimes now carries fixed imprisonment terms, with life imprisonment for third or subsequent offenses, and the option for life without the possibility of parole has been removed. Additionally, the bill repeals Chapter 12-19.2, which dealt with sentencing to life imprisonment without parole, and replaces it with new legal language, the specifics of which are not provided in the summary.

The bill further amends laws concerning the eligibility of life-imprisoned inmates for work release, furlough programs, and parole, disallowing those serving life without parole from participating in work release and furlough programs. It revises conditions for parole eligibility, requiring a unanimous vote of the parole board for life prisoners. Medical and geriatric parole are available for all prisoners except those serving life without parole, and the bill outlines the application procedures for such parole. The bill also mandates an annual report on medical or geriatric parole applications and outcomes, and includes provisions for an educational seminar on aging in prison. It amends Section 42-56-22 to allow prisoners to labor and be compensated, and notably abolishes the penalty of life without parole, with retroactive effect for offenses occurring on or after January 1, 1991, while also deleting language related to savings for prisoners serving life without parole and inserting language regarding labor by persons committed to answer criminal charges.

Statutes affected:
5149: 11-39-2, 11-47-3.2, 13-8-13, 42-56-22