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A5, R7, S294
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Senator Fair
Document Path: l:\council\bills\nbd\11138ac07.doc
Introduced in the Senate on January 18, 2007
Introduced in the House on January 31, 2007
Passed by the General Assembly on February 23, 2007
Governor's Action: March 28, 2007, Signed
Summary: Board of Juvenile Parole
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Date Body Action Description with journal page number
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1/18/2007 Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-7
1/18/2007 Senate Referred to Committee on Corrections and Penology SJ-7
1/24/2007 Senate Polled out of committee Corrections and Penology SJ-22
1/25/2007 Senate Committee report: Favorable Corrections and Penology
SJ-22
1/25/2007 Senate Read second time SJ-25
1/30/2007 Senate Read third time and sent to House SJ-13
1/31/2007 House Introduced and read first time HJ-18
1/31/2007 House Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-19
2/21/2007 House Committee report: Favorable Judiciary HJ-4
2/22/2007 House Read second time HJ-15
2/22/2007 House Unanimous consent for third reading on next legislative
day HJ-16
2/23/2007 House Read third time and enrolled HJ-3
3/22/2007 Ratified R 7
3/28/2007 Signed By Governor
4/3/2007 Copies available
4/3/2007 Effective date See Act for Effective Date
4/17/2007 Act No. 5
View the latest legislative information at the LPITS web site
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
(A5, R7, S294)
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 20-7-8303, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THOSE OFFENSES COMMITTED BY JUVENILES FOR WHICH RELEASE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE JUSTICE IS DETERMINED BY THE BOARD OF JUVENILE PAROLE OR THE DEPARTMENT, SO AS TO CLARIFY THAT RELEASE FOR THE OFFENSE OF ASSAULT AND BATTERY OF A HIGH AND AGGRAVATED NATURE MUST BE DETERMINED BY THE BOARD; AND TO AMEND SECTION 20-7-8305, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO REVIEW AND RELEASE PROCEDURES FOR THE BOARD AND DEPARTMENT, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE STATUTORY PROCEDURES APPLY TO THE BOARD AND THAT THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTABLISH POLICIES AND PROCEDURES GOVERNING ITS REVIEW AND RELEASE PROCEDURES.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
Release of juveniles adjudicated delinquent
SECTION 1. Section 20-7-8303 of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 309 of 2006, is amended to read:
"Section 20-7-8303. (A) The release and revocation of release of juveniles adjudicated delinquent and committed to the department must be determined by:
(1) the department for juveniles adjudicated delinquent and committed after March 31, 2007, for an indeterminate period for a status offense or a misdemeanor, other than assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature or assault with intent to kill, and for juveniles who have violated probation for a status offense or a misdemeanor, other than assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature or assault with intent to kill;
(2) the Board of Juvenile Parole for juveniles adjudicated delinquent and committed for an offense other than an offense provided for in item (1).
(B) For purposes of this article, 'releasing entity' means:
(1) the department for juveniles described in subsection (A)(1);
(2) the Board of Juvenile Parole for juveniles described in subsection (A)(2)."
Review of juveniles by the Board of Juvenile Parole
SECTION 2. Section 20-7-8305 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 309 of 2006, is further amended to read:
"Section 20-7-8305. (A)(1) The Board of Juvenile Parole shall meet monthly, and at other times as may be necessary, to review the records and progress of juveniles committed to the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice, for whom the board is the releasing entity, for the purpose of deciding the release or revocation of release of these juveniles. The board shall make periodic inspections, at least quarterly, of the records of these juveniles and may issue temporary and final discharges or release these juveniles conditionally and prescribe conditions for release into aftercare.
(2)(a) It is the right of a juvenile who has not committed a violent offense, as defined by Section 16-1-60, and for whom the board is the releasing entity, to appear personally before the board every three months for the purpose of parole consideration, but no appearance may begin until the board determines that an appropriate period of time has elapsed since the juvenile's commitment.
(b) The board may waive the quarterly review of juveniles committed to the department, for whom the board is the releasing entity, for the commission of a violent crime, as defined in Section 16-1-60, until the juvenile reaches the minimum parole guidelines the board establishes for the juvenile. At that point, the board may schedule its first review of the juvenile from three months up to twelve months after the juvenile reaches the minimum parole guidelines established by the board. The scheduling of subsequent reviews is in the discretion of the board but must occur within three to twelve months of the juvenile's last appearance.
(3) In order to allow reviews and appearances by juveniles, for whom the board is the releasing entity, the board may assign the members or individuals to meet in panels of not less than three members or individuals, to receive progress reports and recommendations, review cases, meet with juveniles, meet with counselors, and to hear matters and consider cases for release, parole, and parole revocation. Membership on these panels must be periodically rotated on a random basis. At the meetings of the panels, a unanimous vote must be considered the final decision. A panel vote that is not unanimous must not be considered as a final decision, and the matter must be referred to the full parole board, which shall determine the matter by a majority vote of its membership.
(4) The board may conduct parole hearings by means of a two-way, closed circuit television system.
(5) The board shall develop written guidelines for the consideration of parole release of juveniles committed to the department for offenses for which the parole board is the releasing entity.
The board shall provide these guidelines to juveniles, for whom the board is the releasing entity, upon commitment and periodically reviewed with each juvenile to assess the progress made toward achieving release on parole.
(B) In the cases of juveniles for whom the department is the releasing entity, the department shall establish policies and procedures governing the review and release procedures for these juveniles.
(C) In the determination of the type of discharges or conditional releases granted, the releasing entity shall consider the interests of the person involved and the interests of society and shall employ the services of and consult with the personnel of the Department of Juvenile Justice. The releasing entity may from time to time modify the conditions of discharges or conditional releases previously granted."
Savings clause
SECTION 3. The repeal or amendment by this act of any law, whether temporary or permanent or civil or criminal, does not affect pending actions, rights, duties, or liabilities founded thereon, or alter, discharge, release or extinguish any penalty, forfeiture, or liability incurred under the repealed or amended law, unless the repealed or amended provision shall so expressly provide. After the effective date of this act, all laws repealed or amended by this act must be taken and treated as remaining in full force and effect for the purpose of sustaining any pending or vested right, civil action, special proceeding, criminal prosecution, or appeal existing as of the effective date of this act, and for the enforcement of rights, duties, penalties, forfeitures, and liabilities as they stood under the repealed or amended laws.
Time effective
SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor and applies to juveniles committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice after March 31, 2007.
Ratified the 22nd day of March, 2007.
Approved the 28th day of March, 2007.
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