CS/HB 7035 - Juvenile Sentencing Summary

• Establishes sentencing procedures for juveniles (under age 18) convicted of capital felonies and serious felonies, requiring judges to conduct hearings to determine if life imprisonment or a term of years equal to life is appropriate.

• Creates section 921.1401 requiring judges to consider 10 specific factors including the juvenile's age, maturity, background, family environment, participation in the offense, and possibility of rehabilitation when determining appropriate sentences.

• Creates section 921.1402 establishing sentence review procedures for qualifying juvenile offenders: those sentenced under capital felony provisions are eligible for review after 25 years, those sentenced to more than 25 years after 25 years, those sentenced to more than 15 years after 15 years, and those sentenced to 20+ years under other felony provisions after 20 years.

• Requires the Department of Corrections to notify juvenile offenders of their eligibility for sentence review 18 months in advance, entitles them to legal counsel, and allows courts to modify sentences if rehabilitation is demonstrated; modified sentences must include probation of at least 5 years.

• Makes conforming amendments to sections 316.3026, 373.430, 403.161, and 648.571 updating statutory cross-references; effective July 1, 2014.