juveniles; parole eligibility; release presumption

SB 1718 allows juveniles sentenced to 25 or more years for crimes committed under age 18 to apply for parole after serving 15 years. The parole board must consider factors like the person’s age at the crime, rehabilitation progress, family background, and diminished culpability of youth, creating a strong presumption in favor of release unless public safety is proven at risk. It prohibits courts from imposing life sentences (including "de facto life" sentences of 25+ years) for juvenile offenders tried as adults. This applies to current inmates serving such sentences, not new cases.