OLR Bill Analysis

HB 6624

AN ACT CONCERNING THE BOARD OF PARDONS AND PAROLES.

SUMMARY:

Beginning July 1, 2009, this bill (1) increases membership on the board of pardons and paroles from 18 to 20 and (2) increase the number of members who must serve exclusively on pardons panels from five to seven; and (3) eliminates the requirement that at least one member of each parole release panel be a full-time member.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage

BACKGROUND

The Board of Pardons and Paroles

By law, all members of the board of pardons and paroles appointed starting February 1, 2008 must be qualified by education, experience, or training in administering community corrections, parole, or pardons; criminal justice; criminology; evaluation or supervision of offenders; or providing mental health services to offenders.

Beginning February 1, 2008, the law requires the governor to specify appointments for chairman, full-time or part-time parole panel members, and pardons panel members.

By law, the chairman serves full-time, as do the five board members who are appointed by the governor beginning on February 1, 2008 to serve on parole panels and who receive compensation as set by the Department of Administrative Services. The remaining board members serve part-time and receive $ 110 for each day they perform their duties, plus necessary expenses.

By law, parole release panels consist of two members and the chairman or his designee who serves temporarily. Since July 1, 2008, the law (1) requires parole release panels to consist of two members from among those the governor appointed on or after February 1, 2008 to serve on parole panels and (2) only allows the chairman to designate a full-time member to serve temporarily in his place.

By law, pardons panels consist of three members, one of whom can be the chairman. But the chairman must be on the panel for a hearing about commuting a death sentence. Panel members can be chosen from those members (1) assigned to pardons hearings by the chairman or (2) appointed by the governor, starting on February 1, 2008, to serve on pardons panels (CGS § 54-124a).

COMMITTEE ACTION

Judiciary Committee

Joint Favorable