Bill Summary: HB 5486

• Establishes the Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division within the Office of Policy and Management under the direction of an undersecretary, effective October 1, 2020.

• Requires the division to promote effective criminal justice system by conducting analysis, determining long-range needs, identifying problems, assessing cost-effectiveness, advising the General Assembly, and developing a comprehensive reentry strategy.

• Mandates the Office of Policy and Management make all division reports and presentations publicly available on its Internet website, including population projections, outcomes tracking, and system trend analysis.

• Requires monthly reporting on prison admissions, releases, parole rates, and population projections by February 15 of each year, and annual reports on recidivism using nationally-accepted methodology.

• Expands parole revocation hearing representation through a Chief Public Defender pilot program and requires the Board of Pardons and Paroles to report parole hearing outcomes and demographic data to the Office of Policy and Management for public posting.