Bill > SB1548

This bill modifies sentencing laws in Arizona to provide parole eligibility for individuals who committed offenses before turning eighteen years old, even if they were sentenced to life imprisonment or natural life. Specifically, it establishes that individuals sentenced to life imprisonment for crimes committed as juveniles are eligible for parole after serving their minimum sentence, and those sentenced to at least twenty-five years (or thirty-five years for consecutive sentences) are eligible after serving that period. The bill also clarifies that individuals sentenced to natural life for offenses committed as juveniles are not eligible for parole, but it amends existing laws to ensure that those sentenced to life imprisonment for first-degree murder committed as juveniles, or for violent sexual assault, are eligible for parole after serving twenty-five or thirty-five years depending on the victim's age. Furthermore, the bill applies retroactively to all offenses committed before the age of eighteen, regardless of when the offense occurred or the sentence was imposed, and expresses legislative intent to ensure that juvenile offenders have a path to release and that thirty-five years is the maximum period a juvenile offender must serve before parole eligibility.

https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/85160