The bill amends Section 13-8-13 of the General Laws in Chapter 13-8, titled "Parole," to establish new criteria for parole eligibility for prisoners sentenced as adults for offenses committed prior to their eighteenth birthday. It specifies that such prisoners shall be eligible for parole review and a parole permit may be issued after they have served no fewer than fifteen (15) years of imprisonment, unless they qualify for earlier eligibility under other provisions of law.

The bill does not alter the existing parole eligibility for life prisoners or those with lengthy sentences, which remains governed by current law. It also clarifies that the new provisions do not apply to sentences received under chapter 19.2 of title 12.

The act is designed to take effect upon passage and will apply retroactively to offenses occurring on or after January 1, 1991.

Statutes affected:
301: 13-8-13