Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that amends prison parole and sentencing policies.

Highlights:

• Requires a victim or victim representative in certain criminal cases be notified of any petition for reduction of a presumptive release date for the person who committed the offense or of any consideration by the Department of Rehabilitation or Corrections as to whether rebut a presumption of release and continue incarceration (Sec. 109.42).

• Specifies that the sentencing commission shall establish a standing offender supervision study committee which will consist of 1 member appointed by the governor and the following 12 members appointed by the commission consisting of the following individuals, including, but not limited to (Sec. 181.21):

• 1 parole line officer and 1 active probation officer;

• 2 members of the house of representatives who shall not be members of the same political party;

• 1 judge of a court of common pleas and 1 member of the Ohio community corrections association;

• The director of rehabilitation and corrections or the directors representative; and

• 1 county prosecuting attorney, the state public defender, and 1 sheriff.

• Specifies that the offender supervision study committee shall study and review all issues related to the supervision of offenders, including issues related to parole, community control, probation, community corrections, and transitional control (Sec. 181.21).

• Requires the criminal sentencing commission to review all reports submitted to its offender supervision study committee no later than 90 days after receiving the report and submit their findings in the report to the state general assembly regarding possible changes in the law (Sec. 181.26).

• Specifies that a mandatory prison term shall be a definite term from the range of prison terms provided in this revised code for a felony of the first, second, third, or fourth degree (Sec. 2903.06).

• Establishes that for a felony of the first degree there shall be an indefinite prison term with the stated minimum selected by the court of between 3 and 11 years depending on the charge (2903.06).

• Requires the Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections to establish and implement a reentry program for all target offenders that includes a facility which meets all the standards division of parole and community services adopts in accordance with this act (Sec. 5120.113)

• Amends the state GPS-monitoring system to establish an online database no later than 12 months after the passage of this bill that documents and tracks a GPS-monitored offender while released on parole that specifies and monitors location restrictions or suspicious activity on the individual offender (Sec. 5120.038).

Full Bill Text