HB 1722 Summary

• Requires all commutation and pardon applications to be submitted to the Pardon and Parole Board rather than directly to the Governor, with the Board providing copies to district attorneys and victims within 10-20 business days.

• Establishes a 20-day notice period for trial officials (judges, district attorneys, and law enforcement) to submit written recommendations or protests on commutation applications before Board consideration.

• Mandates victim notification at least 20 days before parole consideration and allows victims at least 5 minutes to testify at hearings if requested, with Board decisions voidable if proper notice is not provided.

• Modifies parole eligibility for inmates with consecutive sentences (requiring one-third of consecutive sentence served) and creates a mandatory 9-month postimprisonment supervision requirement for nonviolent parolees with prior violent convictions.

• Requires the Pardon and Parole Board to report approval rates by offense type and individual board member to the Legislature and publish information on their website; effective November 1, 2013.