Signed by Governor John Bel Edwards

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes parole for individuals sentenced to life in prison without parole who were sentenced as juveniles

Highlights:

• Requires the state to offer parole hearings for all individuals sentenced to life in prison without parole as juveniles after 30 years if their conviction has been finalized before June 25, 2012 (Sec. 1 ).

• Requires the state to offer parole hearings to all individuals sentenced to life in prison for the crime of second degree murder as juveniles after 30 years (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that in order to be considered for parole, the above individuals must not have committed any serious disciplinary offenses in the 12 months prior to the parole hearing (Sec. 1).

• Requires individuals to have completed any applicable substance abuse treatment to become parole-eligible (Sec. 1).

• Requires all individuals who have not previously received a high school diploma or GED to complete a GED or obtain an equivalent certificate if they are unable to obtain a GED and complete 100 hours of re-entry training to become parole eligible (Sec. 1 ).

• Requires a parole hearing to be automatically offered to eligible individuals upon passage of this bill if a district attorney has not already done so (Sec. 1).