Senate Communications Division
The Senate today approved Senate Joint Resolution 25, which will allow voters this November to decide whether or not to take the Governor out of the parole process for nonviolent offenses. The resolution, authored by Sen. Josh Brecheen and House Speaker Kris Steele, is supported by the Governor.
“By removing the Governor completely for nonviolent offenses, parolees wouldn’t be forced to wait on the Governor to review their case,” said Brecheen, R-Coalgate. “One day of incarceration costs the state an average of $40 and it takes the Governor an average of 100 days to review paroles, costing taxpayers roughly $4,000 per individual. Removing the Governor from the process would save our state millions of dollars each year and allow her to focus on the job she was elected to do like helping create a balanced budget, attracting jobs to the state and strengthening our economy.”
SJR 25 would amend the state Constitution to give the Board total power to review and decide parole requests for nonviolent offenders. Violent crimes would still be reviewed by the Governor.
