"The Juvenile Offender Parole and Rehabilitation Act"; enact.

HB 219, "The Juvenile Offender Parole and Rehabilitation Act," changes parole eligibility for individuals convicted of crimes while under 18. It amends Mississippi law to require that juvenile offenders (those under 18 at the time of offense) become eligible for parole after serving 20 years of their sentence, unless they qualify for earlier parole under other provisions. The bill also revises definitions in the corrections code to clarify terms like "juvenile" (under 18) and establishes requirements for parole case plans and risk assessments. This policy directly affects juvenile offenders serving long-term sentences in Mississippi's corrections system. The law does not create new programs but adjusts the timeline for parole consideration.