The bill establishes a new chapter, CHAPTER 10.1, titled "COMMISSION ON PARDONS," within Title 13 of the General Laws concerning Criminal Correctional Institutions. This chapter creates a commission on pardons responsible for administering the application process for individuals seeking executive pardons in Rhode Island. The commission will evaluate applicants based on specific criteria, which include: (1) completion of their sentence and ineligibility for expungement; (2) eligibility for expungement, having applied for expungement, and being denied; or (3) being on probation and eligible for early termination of probation.

The commission is tasked with developing rules and regulations for the application process, including establishing required documentation, response timelines, and eligibility criteria for recommendations to the governor. The commission will consist of nine members appointed for two-year terms from various sectors, including: (1) an appointee from the judicial branch appointed by the chief justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court; (2) an appointee from the Department of the Attorney General appointed by the attorney general; (3) an appointee from the Office of the Public Defender appointed by the chief public defender; (4) an appointee from the Rhode Island Office of Parole/Probation appointed by the governor; (5) an appointee from the Nonviolence Institute; (6) an appointee from the Economic Progress Institute; (7) an appointee from the Reentry Campus Program; (8) an appointee from OpenDoors; and (9) an appointee from the Center for Indigenous Peoples Rights. All appointees must be active members of their respective organizations.

The commission will submit the names of individuals they determine should be considered for a pardon to the governor, who retains the authority to present these names, along with any others, to the state senate for advice and consent. The act will take effect upon passage.