FL H0189

Amends the Criminal Punishment Code principle to specify that sentences may be shortened only by incentive and meritorious gain-time, with minimum service requirements of 65 percent for nonviolent felonies and 85 percent for other offenses before early release.

Clarifies that the incentive gain-time rate applicable at the time an inmate commits an offense remains the inmate's rate throughout incarceration and cannot be altered by subsequent changes in offense severity level.

Maintains existing gain-time schedules: up to 20 days per month for offenses committed before January 1, 1994; 25 days for severity levels 1-7 and 20 days for levels 8-10 for offenses committed January 1, 1994 through September 30, 1995; and up to 20 days per month for offenses committed on or after October 1, 1995.

Restricts inmates convicted of nonviolent felonies from accumulating gain-time that would allow release before serving 65 percent of sentence, and restricts other inmates from accumulating gain-time beyond their 85 percent service threshold.

Takes effect July 1, 2020.