HB 1028 Summary

• Offenders sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for class AA felonies or murder remain ineligible for release programs, while other offenders may be eligible if deemed not a high security risk and likely to be rehabilitated.

• Director of the Department of Corrections authorizes release programs for offenders committed 10 years or less; the parole board with director approval authorizes programs for offenders committed more than 10 years.

• Short leaves not exceeding 72 hours may be granted by the director for offenders committed 10 years or less, or by the parole board with director approval for those committed more than 10 years.

• Armed offenders serving mandatory sentences under section 12.1-32-02.1 may participate in release programs during the last six months of their sentence.

• Violent offenders convicted under specified violent crime statutes may now participate in release programs under section 12-48.1-02 and departmental rules, subject to the 85 percent sentence-served requirement for confinement.