By a vote of 6-2, the House Special Committee on Criminal Justice passed HB 2034, sponsored by Rep. Tom Hannegan (R-St. Charles). The bill aims to give a chance at parole to individuals who were sentenced to life without parole for a minimum of 50 years back in the 1980's. Since that time, sentencing laws were changed, reducing life without parole sentences to 30 years, leaving about 55 people caught in outdated 50-year sentences. The bill states that those individuals who have reached 65 years of age, have served thirty years, and meet other criteria, could petition the parole board for a parole hearing. The parole board would still have the authority to deny parole. The bill will now go to the Rules Committee for further debate.
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