HB 1703 -- Eligibility for Parole

Sponsor:  Lair

This bill specifies that any person who was found guilty of a
homicide but did not actually commit the murder or who had a
history of being a victim of continual and substantial physical
or sexual domestic violence that was not presented at trial or
sentencing and the abuse resulted in the defendant's inability to
make good decisions and there is substantiated evidence of mental
impairment must be eligible for parole after having served 20
years of the sentence.  Currently, those offenders must serve 15
years.  Certain other offenders serving a life sentence without
parole or life without parole for 50 years will also be required
to serve 20 years, instead of 15, before being eligible for
parole.

The bill also specifies that when the Board of Probation and
Parole within the Department of Corrections is making parole
decisions, it must consider if an offender was gainfully employed
or attending high school, college, or vocational technical school
prior to the crime.

Missouri House of Representatives
95th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated September 14, 2010 at 3:11 pm