FISCAL NOTE

Senate Bill 245 as introduced expands the list of felony crimes in which an inmate is required to complete 85% of his or her sentence or 15 years, whichever is less, to be considered for parole to include certain manslaughter convictions. This would increase the obligations of the Department of Corrections by an undetermined amount dependent upon the increase in the number of defendants that would have to serve 85% of their prison sentence or 15 years, whichever is less, before becoming eligible for parole. According to the Department the estimated minimum annual cost per inmate is $26,000.

In addition, this bill would reduce the obligations of the Board of Pardons and Paroles, by an undetermined amount, dependant upon the decrease in the number of inmates that would now have to serve the lesser of 85% of their prison sentence or 15 years that would have been released to the supervision of the Board.