Bill > S1535

This bill aims to remove barriers to medical parole for incarcerated individuals. The key provisions are: 1. Defining "permanent incapacitation" and "terminal illness" more broadly to include a wider range of medical conditions. 2. Allowing a surrogate decision-maker, such as a family member or attorney, to petition for medical parole on behalf of an incarcerated person. 3. Requiring correctional facilities to identify and regularly assess incarcerated individuals aged 55 and older for cognitive impairment or terminal/physical incapacitation, and report this information to prisoners' rights organizations. 4. Establishing a process for the Department of Corrections or Sheriffs to submit medical parole petitions on behalf of permanently cognitively incapacitated individuals, and requiring them to notify relevant parties and provide a medical parole plan to the Parole Board. 5. Mandating that medical parole be granted unless the Commissioner can show clear and convincing evidence that the individual would violently recidivate if released, and allowing for an expedited process for those with terminal illness. 6. Providing incarcerated individuals and their representatives the right to funding for experts to support their medical parole petitions. 7. Outlining the process for revocation of medical parole and the individual's return to incarceration, while ensuring their continued eligibility for medical parole or other forms of release. 8. Requiring annual reporting on the implementation of the medical parole program, including demographic data, to promote transparency.

Justice

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/S1535