Bill > HB1815

This bill addresses prison riot offenses, particularly those committed in juvenile detention facilities and facilities operated by the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF). The bill makes several key changes: First, it modifies the definition of "correctional institution" to distinguish between adult and juvenile facilities for the purposes of different legal provisions. Second, it allows individuals who were convicted of a prison riot offense while incarcerated in a juvenile facility to apply to have their conviction or adjudication vacated, essentially clearing their record. Third, the bill provides a mechanism for both adult and juvenile offenders to seek resentencing if a prison riot offense in a juvenile facility was used as a basis for their original sentence, requiring courts to resentence them as if the prison riot offense did not occur. Additionally, the bill requires the department to establish rules for managing prison riot behavior as an internal behavioral management infraction rather than a criminal offense, with implementation required by August 1, 2025. The bill applies retroactively to prison riot convictions or charges within the past five years and takes effect immediately, with the stated purpose of preserving public peace and supporting state institutions.