Bill > SB286

This bill modifies the existing Elderly Parole Program by further restricting which inmates are eligible for elderly parole. Currently, the program allows inmates who are 50 years or older and have served at least 20 continuous years in prison to be considered for parole, with the Board of Parole Hearings giving special consideration to factors like age and diminished physical condition that might reduce future violence risk. The bill would expand the list of offenders excluded from the program, specifically adding people convicted of first-degree murder, individuals with sentence enhancements for sexual offenses like rape or sodomy, and habitual sex offenders. Notably, these new exclusions would apply to all inmates incarcerated as of January 1, 2026, regardless of their previous parole eligibility or any pending parole petitions. The law is named "Mary Bella's Law" and aims to further limit parole opportunities for certain categories of long-term inmates by preventing those with more serious criminal histories from being considered under the Elderly Parole Program.

Budget and Finance, Justice

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB286