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 accordance with Article IX, Section 13 of the Rhode Island Constitution. The commission will evaluate applicants based on specific criteria, including completion of their sentence, eligibility for expungement, and status on probation. It will also develop rules and regulations for the application process, including required documentation, response timelines, and eligibility criteria for recommendations.

The commission will consist of nine members appointed for two-year terms from various sectors, including an appointee from the judicial branch, the attorney general's office, the public defender's office, the Rhode Island office of parole/probation, and several community organizations focused on nonviolence, economic progress, reentry programs, and indigenous rights. The commission will submit names of recommended individuals for pardons to the governor, who retains the authority to present these names to the state senate for advice and consent. The act will take effect upon passage.