HOUSE BILL No. 5004

 

July 17, 2003, Introduced by Reps. Bieda, Plakas and Gleason and referred to the Committee on Criminal Justice.

        

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                 A bill to amend 1953 PA 232, entitled                                             

                                                                                

    "Corrections code of 1953,"                                                 

                                                                                

    by amending section 34 (MCL 791.234), as amended by 2002 PA 670.            

                                                                                

                THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:                      

                                                                                

1       Sec. 34.  (1) Except as provided in section 34a, a prisoner                 

                                                                                

2   sentenced to an indeterminate sentence and confined in a state              

                                                                                

3   correctional facility with a minimum in terms of years other than           

                                                                                

4   a prisoner subject to disciplinary time is subject to the                   

                                                                                

5   jurisdiction of the parole board when the prisoner has served a             

                                                                                

6   period of time equal to the minimum sentence imposed by the court           

                                                                                

7   for the crime of which he or she was convicted, less good time              

                                                                                

8   and disciplinary credits, if applicable.                                    

                                                                                

9       (2) Except as provided in section 34a, a prisoner subject to                

                                                                                

10  disciplinary time sentenced to an indeterminate sentence and                

                                                                                

11  confined in a state correctional facility with a minimum in terms           

                                                                                


                                                                                

1   of years is subject to the jurisdiction of the parole board when            

                                                                                

2   the prisoner has served a period of time equal to the minimum               

                                                                                

3   sentence imposed by the court for the crime of which he or she              

                                                                                

4   was convicted.                                                              

                                                                                

5       (3) If a prisoner other than a prisoner subject to                          

                                                                                

6   disciplinary time is sentenced for consecutive terms, whether               

                                                                                

7   received at the same time or at any time during the life of the             

                                                                                

8   original sentence, the parole board has jurisdiction over the               

                                                                                

9   prisoner for purposes of parole when the prisoner has served the            

                                                                                

10  total time of the added minimum terms, less the good time and               

                                                                                

11  disciplinary credits allowed by statute.  The maximum terms of              

                                                                                

12  the sentences shall be added to compute the new maximum term                

                                                                                

13  under this subsection, and discharge shall be issued only after             

                                                                                

14  the total of the maximum sentences has been served less good time           

                                                                                

15  and disciplinary credits, unless the prisoner is paroled and                

                                                                                

16  discharged upon satisfactory completion of the parole.                      

                                                                                

17      (4) If a prisoner subject to disciplinary time is sentenced                 

                                                                                

18  for consecutive terms, whether received at the same time or at              

                                                                                

19  any time during the life of the original sentence, the parole               

                                                                                

20  board has jurisdiction over the prisoner for purposes of parole             

                                                                                

21  when the prisoner has served the total time of the added minimum            

                                                                                

22  terms.  The maximum terms of the sentences shall be added to                

                                                                                

23  compute the new maximum term under this subsection, and discharge           

                                                                                

24  shall be issued only after the total of the maximum sentences has           

                                                                                

25  been served, unless the prisoner is paroled and discharged upon             

                                                                                

26  satisfactory completion of the parole.                                      

                                                                                

27      (5) If a prisoner other than a prisoner subject to                          


                                                                                

1   disciplinary time has 1 or more consecutive terms remaining to              

                                                                                

2   serve in addition to the term he or she is serving, the parole              

                                                                                

3   board may terminate the sentence the prisoner is presently                  

                                                                                

4   serving at any time after the minimum term of the sentence has              

                                                                                

5   been served.                                                                

                                                                                

6       (6) A prisoner under sentence for life, other than a prisoner               

                                                                                

7   sentenced for life for murder in the first degree or sentenced              

                                                                                

8   for life for a violation punishable under section 506b(3) or a              

                                                                                

9   violation of chapter XXXIII of the Michigan penal code, 1931                

                                                                                

10  PA 328, MCL 750.506b and 750.200 to 750.212a, who has served 10             

                                                                                

11  calendar years of the sentence in the case of a prisoner                    

                                                                                

12  sentenced for a crime committed before October 1, 1992, or,                 

                                                                                

13  except as provided in subsection (10), who has served 20 calendar           

                                                                                

14  years of the sentence in the case of a prisoner sentenced to                

                                                                                

15  imprisonment for life for violating or conspiring to violate                

                                                                                

16  section 7401(2)(a)(i) of the public health code, 1978 PA 368,               

                                                                                

17  MCL 333.7401, who has another conviction for a serious crime, or,           

                                                                                

18  except as provided in subsection (10), who has served 17-1/2                

                                                                                

19  calendar years of the sentence in the case of a prisoner                    

                                                                                

20  sentenced to imprisonment for life for violating or conspiring to           

                                                                                

21  violate section 7401(2)(a)(i) of the public health code, 1978               

                                                                                

22  PA 368, MCL 333.7401, who does not have another conviction for a            

                                                                                

23  serious crime, or who has served 15 calendar years of the                   

                                                                                

24  sentence in the case of a prisoner sentenced for a crime                    

                                                                                

25  committed on or after October 1, 1992, is subject to the                    

                                                                                

26  jurisdiction of the parole board and may be released on parole by           

                                                                                

27  the parole board, subject to the following conditions:                      


                                                                                

1       (a) At the conclusion of 10 calendar years of the prisoner's                

                                                                                

2   sentence and thereafter as determined by the parole board until             

                                                                                

3   the prisoner is paroled, discharged, or deceased, and in                    

                                                                                

4   accordance with the procedures described in subsection (7), 1               

                                                                                

5   member of the parole board shall interview the prisoner.  The               

                                                                                

6   interview schedule prescribed in this subdivision applies to all            

                                                                                

7   prisoners to whom this subsection is applicable, regardless of              

                                                                                

8   the date on which they were sentenced.                                      

                                                                                

9       (b) In addition to the interview schedule prescribed in                     

                                                                                

10  subdivision (a), the parole board shall review the prisoner's               

                                                                                

11  file at the conclusion of 15 calendar years of the prisoner's               

                                                                                

12  sentence and every 5 years thereafter until the prisoner is                 

                                                                                

13  paroled, discharged, or deceased.  A prisoner whose file is to be           

                                                                                

14  reviewed under this subdivision shall be notified of the upcoming           

                                                                                

15  file review at least 30 days before the file review takes place             

                                                                                

16  and shall be allowed to submit written statements or documentary            

                                                                                

17  evidence for the parole board's consideration in conducting the             

                                                                                

18  file review.                                                                

                                                                                

19      (c) A decision to grant or deny parole to a prisoner so                     

                                                                                

20  sentenced shall not be made until after a public hearing held in            

                                                                                

21  the manner prescribed for pardons and commutations in sections 44           

                                                                                

22  and 45.  Notice of the public hearing shall be given to the                 

                                                                                

23  sentencing judge, or the judge's successor in office, and parole            

                                                                                

24  shall not be granted if the sentencing judge, or the judge's                

                                                                                

25  successor in office, files written objections to the granting of            

                                                                                

26  the parole within 30 days of receipt of the notice of hearing.              

                                                                                

27  The written objections shall be made part of the prisoner's                 


                                                                                

1   file.                                                                       

                                                                                

2       (d) A parole granted under this subsection shall be for a                   

                                                                                

3   period of not less than 4 years and subject to the usual rules              

                                                                                

4   pertaining to paroles granted by the parole board.  A parole                

                                                                                

5   ordered under this subsection is not valid until the transcript             

                                                                                

6   of the record is filed with the attorney general whose                      

                                                                                

7   certification of receipt of the transcript shall be returnable to           

                                                                                

8   the office of the parole board within 5 days.  Except for medical           

                                                                                

9   records protected under section 2157 of the revised judicature              

                                                                                

10  act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.2157, the file of a prisoner              

                                                                                

11  granted a parole under this subsection is a public record.                  

                                                                                

12      (e) A parole shall not be granted under this subsection in                  

                                                                                

13  the case of a prisoner who is otherwise prohibited by law from              

                                                                                

14  parole consideration.  In such cases the interview procedures in            

                                                                                

15  section 44 shall be followed.                                               

                                                                                

16      (7) An interview conducted under subsection (6)(a) is subject               

                                                                                

17  to both of the following requirements:                                      

                                                                                

18      (a) The prisoner shall be given written notice, not less than               

                                                                                

19  30 days before the interview date, stating that the interview               

                                                                                

20  will be conducted.                                                          

                                                                                

21      (b) The prisoner may be represented at the interview by an                  

                                                                                

22  individual of his or her choice.  The representative shall not be           

                                                                                

23  another prisoner.  A prisoner is not entitled to appointed                  

                                                                                

24  counsel at public expense.  The prisoner or representative may              

                                                                                

25  present relevant evidence in favor of holding a public hearing as           

                                                                                

26  described in subsection (6)(b).                                             

                                                                                

27      (8) In determining whether a prisoner convicted of violating                


                                                                                

1   or conspiring to violate section 7401(2)(a)(i) of the public                

                                                                                

2   health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.7401, and sentenced to                    

                                                                                

3   imprisonment for life before October 1, 1998 is to be released on           

                                                                                

4   parole, the parole board shall consider all of the following:               

                                                                                

5       (a) Whether the violation was part of a continuing series of                

                                                                                

6   violations of section 7401 or 7403 of the public health code,               

                                                                                

7   1978 PA 368, MCL 333.7401 and 333.7403, by that individual.                 

                                                                                

8       (b) Whether the violation was committed by the individual in                

                                                                                

9   concert with 5 or more other individuals.                                   

                                                                                

10      (c) Any of the following:                                                   

                                                                                

11                                                                               (i) Whether the individual was a principal administrator,                           

                                                                                

12  organizer, or leader of an entity that the individual knew or had           

                                                                                

13  reason to know was organized, in whole or in part, to commit                

                                                                                

14  violations of section 7401 or 7403 of the public health code,               

                                                                                

15  1978 PA 368, MCL 333.7401 and 333.7403, and whether the violation           

                                                                                

16  for which the individual was convicted was committed to further             

                                                                                

17  the interests of that entity.                                               

                                                                                

18      (ii) Whether the individual was a principal administrator,                   

                                                                                

19  organizer, or leader of an entity that the individual knew or had           

                                                                                

20  reason to know committed violations of section 7401 or 7403 of              

                                                                                

21  the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.7401 and 333.7403,             

                                                                                

22  and whether the violation for which the individual was convicted            

                                                                                

23  was committed to further the interests of that entity.                      

                                                                                

24      (iii) Whether the violation was committed in a drug-free                     

                                                                                

25  school zone.                                                                

                                                                                

26      (iv) Whether the violation involved the delivery of a                        

                                                                                

27  controlled substance to an individual less than 17 years of age             


                                                                                

1   or possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance to an           

                                                                                

2   individual less than 17 years of age.                                       

                                                                                

3       (9) Except as provided in section 34a, a prisoner's release                 

                                                                                

4   on parole is discretionary with the parole board.  The action of            

                                                                                

5   the parole board in granting a parole is appealable by the                  

                                                                                

6   prosecutor of the county from which the prisoner was committed or           

                                                                                

7   the victim of the crime for which the prisoner was convicted.               

                                                                                

8   The appeal shall be to the circuit court in the county from which           

                                                                                

9   the prisoner was committed, by leave of the court.                          

                                                                                

10      (10) If the sentencing judge, or his or her successor in                    

                                                                                

11  office, determines on the record that a prisoner described in               

                                                                                

12  subsection (6) sentenced to imprisonment for life for violating             

                                                                                

13  or conspiring to violate section 7401(2)(a)(i) of the public                

                                                                                

14  health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.7401, has cooperated with law             

                                                                                

15  enforcement, the prisoner is subject to the jurisdiction of the             

                                                                                

16  parole board and may be released on parole as provided in                   

                                                                                

17  subsection (6), 2-1/2 years earlier than the time otherwise                 

                                                                                

18  indicated in subsection (6).  The prisoner is considered to have            

                                                                                

19  cooperated with law enforcement if the court determines on the              

                                                                                

20  record that the prisoner had no relevant or useful information to           

                                                                                

21  provide.  The court shall not make a determination that the                 

                                                                                

22  prisoner failed or refused to cooperate with law enforcement on             

                                                                                

23  grounds that the defendant exercised his or her constitutional              

                                                                                

24  right to trial by jury.  If the court determines at sentencing              

                                                                                

25  that the defendant cooperated with law enforcement, the court               

                                                                                

26  shall include its determination in the judgment of sentence.                

                                                                                

27      (11) An individual convicted of violating or conspiring to                  


                                                                                

1   violate section 7401(2)(a)(ii) or 7403(2)(a)(ii) of the public                

                                                                                

2   health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.7401 and 333.7403, before  the            

                                                                                

3   effective date of the amendatory act that added this subsection             

                                                                                

4   March 1, 2003 is eligible for parole after serving the minimum of           

                                                                                

5   each sentence imposed for that violation or 10 years of each                

                                                                                

6   sentence imposed for that violation, whichever is less.                     

                                                                                

7       (12) An individual convicted of violating or conspiring to                  

                                                                                

8   violate section 7401(2)(a)(iii) or 7403(2)(a)(iii) of the public               

                                                                                

9   health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.7401 and 333.7403, before  the            

                                                                                

10  effective date of the amendatory act that added this subsection             

                                                                                

11  March 1, 2003 is eligible for parole after serving the minimum of           

                                                                                

12  each sentence imposed for that violation or 5 years of each                 

                                                                                

13  sentence imposed for that violation, whichever is less.                     

                                                                                

14      (13) An individual convicted of violating or conspiring to                  

                                                                                

15  violate section 7401(2)(a)(iv) or 7403(2)(a)(iv) of the public               

                                                                                

16  health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.7401 and 333.7403, before  the            

                                                                                

17  effective date of the amendatory act that added this subsection             

                                                                                

18  March 1, 2003 who is sentenced to a term of imprisonment that is            

                                                                                

19  consecutive to a term of imprisonment imposed for any other                 

                                                                                

20  violation of section 7401(2)(a)(i) to (iv) or section                        

                                                                                

21  7403(2)(a)(i) to (iv) is eligible for parole after serving 1/2 of            

                                                                                

22  the minimum sentence imposed for each violation of                          

                                                                                

23  section 7401(2)(a)(iv) or 7403(2)(a)(iv).  This subsection does              

                                                                                

24  not apply if the sentence was imposed for a conviction for a new            

                                                                                

25  offense committed while the individual is on probation or                   

                                                                                

26  parole.                                                                     

                                                                                

27      (14) The parole board shall provide notice to the prosecuting               


                                                                                

1   attorney of the county in which the individual was convicted                

                                                                                

2   before granting parole to the individual under subsection (11),             

                                                                                

3   (12), or (13).                                                              

                                                                                

4       (15) As used in this section:                                               

                                                                                

5       (a) "Serious crime" means violating or conspiring to violate                

                                                                                

6   article 7 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.7101 to           

                                                                                

7   333.7545, that is punishable by imprisonment for more than 4                

                                                                                

8   years, or an offense against a person in violation of section 83,           

                                                                                

9   84, 86, 87, 88, 89, 316, 317, 321, 349, 349a, 350, 397, 520b,               

                                                                                

10  520c, 520d, 520g, 529, 529a, or 530 of the Michigan penal code,             

                                                                                

11  1931 PA 328, MCL 750.83, 750.84, 750.86, 750.87, 750.88, 750.89,            

                                                                                

12  750.316, 750.317, 750.321, 750.349, 750.349a, 750.350, 750.397,             

                                                                                

13  750.520b, 750.520c, 750.520d, 750.520g, 750.529, 750.529a, and              

                                                                                

14  750.530.                                                                    

                                                                                

15      (b) "State correctional facility" means a facility that                     

                                                                                

16  houses prisoners committed to the jurisdiction of the department,           

                                                                                

17  and includes a youth correctional facility operated under section           

                                                                                

18  20g by the department or a private vendor.                                  

                                                                                

19      Enacting section 1.  This amendatory act does not take                      

                                                                                

20  effect unless Senate Bill No. ______ or House Bill No. 4913                 

                                                                                

21  (request no. 01000'03) of the 92nd Legislature is enacted into              

                                                                                

22  law.