SB 48

Under current law, the Parole Commission is the authority for granting

discretionary release to parole to a person who committed a felony before December

31, 1999. This bill changes the open meetings requirement for the Parole

Commission, provides specific notice requirements for meetings of the Parole

Commission, and requires information about parole decisions to be posted on the

Department of Corrections Internet site.

Eliminating the exception to the open meetings law

Current law requires that every meeting of a governmental body be held in a

place reasonably accessible to members of the public and open to all citizens at all

times. Current law provides exceptions to the open meetings requirement. One

exception is for the consideration of specific applications of release to probation,

extended supervision, or parole. The bill eliminates that exception so that the Parole

Commission is subject to the open meetings requirement when considering specific

applications for release.

Notice requirements

Current law regulates public notice of all meetings of a governmental body. In

addition to any requirements specific to a governmental body, the notice must be

posted in at least three public places likely to give notice to affected persons, posted

in one such public place and on the governmental body's Internet site, or published

in a news medium likely to give notice to affected persons. The bill requires that the

Parole Commission provide notice of all meetings on the DOC Internet site.

Posting requirements

The bill requires DOC to post certain information about the actions of the

Parole Commission on its Internet site for public access. Under the bill, DOC must

post any guidance documents that the Parole Commission uses when making parole

decisions. DOC must post individuals granted parole, denied parole, and returned

to prison following the revocation of parole. DOC must also post monthly and annual

totals of the number of persons granted parole, denied parole, and returned to prison

following the revocation of parole. The annual totals must be presented by the crime

for which the individual was convicted; the sex, race, and age of the individual; and

the locality in which the individual was convicted.