PAROLE; MEDICALLY FRAIL PRISONER S.B. 599 (S-1):
SUMMARY OF BILL
REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE
Senate Bill 599 (Substitute S-1 as reported)
Committee: Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Corrections Code to allow a medically frail prisoner eligible for medical parole to be released to a placement approved by the parole board, instead of a parole board approved medical facility. The bill would specify that if the placement were not in a medical facility, the parolee could be subject to electronic monitoring at the time of release on parole. Additionally, the bill would include among the medical conditions qualifying a parolee as medically frail a terminal medical or mental health condition resulting in life expectancy of under 18 months.
BRIEF RATIONALE
Public Act (PA) 13 of 2019 allowed a parole board to grant medical parole for certain medically frail prisoners. According to testimony before the Senate Committee on Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety, only one individual has been granted medical parole since PA 13's enactment. Reportedly, medical facilities have declined to accept or do not have the capacity to accept medically frail parolees. It has been suggested to allow eligible medically frail parolees to have a home placement with family access.
Legislative Analyst: Eleni Lionas
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.
Date Completed: 4-22-24 Fiscal Analyst: Joe Carrasco, Jr.
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.