Sentencing: parole.

Existing law requires the Board of Parole Hearings to meet with every inmate during the 6th year before the inmate's minimum eligible parole release date to review and document the inmate's activities and conduct pertinent to parole eligibility and the granting or withholding of postconviction credit. Existing law requires a panel of 2 or more commissioners or deputy commissioners to meet with each inmate one year before the inmate's minimum eligible parole release date to set a parole release date, as specified, unless the panel determines that a parole release date cannot be fixed. This bill would specify that the purpose of the meeting between the Board of Parole Hearings and an inmate during the 6th year before the inmate's minimum eligible parole date is to review and document the inmate's activities and conduct pertinent to parole eligibility. The bill would require a panel of 2 or more commissioners or deputy commissioners to meet with each inmate one year before the inmate's minimum eligible parole date in order to grant or deny parole, as specified. The bill would prohibit an inmate from being released before reaching his or her minimum eligible parole release date unless the inmate is eligible for earlier release pursuant to his or her youth offender parole eligibility date. Existing law authorizes the Governor to request a review of a decision by the board to grant or deny parole to an inmate up to 90 days before the inmate's scheduled release date. The bill would authorize the Governor to request a review of a decision by the board to grant or deny parole at any time before the inmate's scheduled release. The bill would make conforming changes. The bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 3041.5 of the Penal Code proposed by AB 487 that would become operative if this bill and AB 487 are both chaptered and this bill is chaptered last.