#CriminalReform hashtag - Bluesky

House advances bill to eliminate Department of Corrections supervisory fees Lawmakers advanced H.635, which would strike statutory supervisory fees administered by the Department of Corrections, forgive outstanding balances and bar nonpayment from constituting a supervision violation; sponsors said the fee program costs more to administer than it raises.

3 weeks ago

Vermont lawmakers are moving to eliminate costly supervisory fees from the Department of Corrections, saving taxpayers and forgiving outstanding balances for justice-involved individuals.

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#VT #CitizenPortal #FiscalAccountability #CriminalReform #VermontJustice

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Citizen Portal News Maryland

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4 weeks ago

Board approves multiple jail‑based medication‑assisted treatment grant applications totaling up to about $987,000 The board approved applications and acceptance of several grants to support jail‑based medication‑assisted treatment: Day Reporting Center requested $270,000; the detention center requested $347,072 and a Moore grant up to $369,939, all approved unanimously.

Washington County's Board of County Commissioners just approved nearly $1 million in grants to enhance jail-based medication-assisted treatment, aiming to transform lives and reduce overdose risks!

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#WashingtonCounty #MD #CitizenPortal #CriminalReform #HealthCareAccess

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Citizen Portal News Utah

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4 weeks ago

Committee advances large recodification to create Department of Criminal Justice The committee gave a favorable recommendation to SB 323, a large recodification that would reorganize the Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice into a proposed Department of Criminal Justice (statute 75 E), reassign administrative duties, and preserve the commission's substantive role; stakeholders including law enforcement and parole board leaders endorsed the change.

A significant restructuring is on the horizon for Utah's criminal justice system, as the House committee advances a bill that could enhance efficiency and accountability.

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#UT #CitizenPortal #CriminalReform #PublicSafety #GovernmentEfficiency

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Senate perfects substitute for Senate Bill 888, tightening juvenile records and sentencing rules The Missouri Senate adopted a perfected substitute for Senate Bill 888 after the sponsor walked colleagues through changes including raising the juvenile age to 18, closing many juvenile records to the public, tiered parole-eligibility percentages and new dangerous-felony inclusions; the vote was by voice.

4 weeks ago

The Missouri Senate has taken a bold step by adopting a substitute for Senate Bill 888, raising the juvenile age to 18 and implementing stricter sentencing and record access rules.

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#MO #MissouriJuvenileJustice #CitizenPortal #CriminalReform #PublicSafety #YouthRehabilitation

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Citizen Portal News Louisiana

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1 month ago

Committee on Parole grants parole to Dorella Johnson, imposes substance‑abuse evaluation The Committee on Parole voted unanimously March 2, 2026, to grant parole to Dorella Johnson, a first-felony offender serving a 40-year sentence, conditioned on a substance‑abuse evaluation and any recommended treatment.

Dorella Johnson, serving a 40-year sentence for armed robbery and attempted murder, has been granted parole after demonstrating remarkable rehabilitation progress, but with a crucial condition for substance abuse evaluation.

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#LA #CitizenPortal #LouisianaParole #CriminalReform

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Defender General urges stakeholder review of S.186, warns plea change could saddle juveniles with criminal records Defender General Matt Valerio told the Senate Judiciary committee on Feb. 20 that S.186 should be reviewed by an existing juvenile-justice stakeholders group because, as drafted, it could encourage young defendants to accept criminal convictions with lasting collateral consequences; he recommended clearer drafting and judicial safeguards.

1 month ago

Defender General Matt Valerio warns that proposed changes in S.186 could lead to young defendants facing lifelong consequences from criminal convictions.

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#VT #JudicialAccountability #YouthProtection #VermontJuvenileJustice #CitizenPortal #CriminalReform

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Committee passes substitute combining bills to revise "good time" credit and add release provisions; 14-1 A House committee voted to pass a committee substitute combining House Bills 27-51, 28-31 and 26-95 that retains Representative Kimberly-Ann Collins’ earned good time credit language, adds exclusions for certain violent felonies, and includes restoration-of-voting-rights and release-documentation provisions. A technical amendment was adopted and the substitute passed 14-1.

1 month ago

A House committee just passed a major overhaul of the "good time" credit system, introducing new exclusions for violent felonies and restoring voting rights for offenders!

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#MO #CitizenPortal #RestorationPrograms #MissouriCriminalJustice #CriminalReform #VotingRights

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House approves juvenile justice reform after extensive debate over prosecutors' role and record-keeping The House passed House Bill 2498 after a lengthy floor debate over shifting referral authority for juvenile certification toward prosecutors, concerns about adding juvenile records to the MULES database, facility capacity, and potential disparate impacts. Final recorded vote: 100-44-3.

1 month ago

Missouri's House just passed a controversial juvenile justice reform bill, raising questions about the role of prosecutors and the future of young offenders.

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#MO #MissouriJuvenileJustice #CitizenPortal #CriminalReform #CommunitySupport #YouthAccountability

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Committee backs bill limiting prospective Fourth Amendment waivers in plea deals Senate Bill 23 would bar prospective waivers of Fourth Amendment rights in plea agreements and sentencing orders, with exemptions for certain offenses and specialty dockets; the subcommittee reported the bill 7–3 after testimony from public defenders and prosecutors.

1 month ago

Virginia's Senate Bill 23 aims to protect defendants from waiving their Fourth Amendment rights in plea deals, a move that could reshape justice for marginalized communities.

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#VA #CitizenPortal #CriminalReform #JuvenileProtection #VirginiaJustice #CivilRights

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Citizen Portal News Delaware

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1 month ago

Residents, advocates press lawmakers to fund fines/fees reform bills amid $5M contingency in governor's proposal Public commenters urged the Joint Finance Committee to fund House Bills 132 and 133, arguing fines and fees disproportionately harm low‑income and Black residents; chair clarified the governor's recommended budget includes $5 million for HB133 and the fiscal note for HB132 was reported at $3.5 million and not included.

Residents and advocates are demanding lawmakers prioritize critical court fee reforms that could lift low-income families out of poverty and break the cycle of debt.

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#DE #CivicAccountability #CitizenPortal #CriminalReform #EconomicJustice

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Senate panel backs substitute for bill easing casino-employment background checks The Senate General Laws and Technology Committee advanced a substitute for House Bill 218, a workforce measure that shortens the background "look-back" for casino gaming service permits to industry norms and directs the bill to finance after testimony from the bill patron and workforce witnesses.

1 month ago

Virginia's House Bill 218 is set to revolutionize casino employment by streamlining background checks and expanding opportunities for those with past convictions.

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#VA #CitizenPortal #CriminalReform #IndustryStandards #EmploymentOpportunities #VirginiaWorkforce

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Citizen Portal News Florida

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1 month ago

Committee approves "Missy’s Law" to mandate custody after conviction for dangerous crimes; defense group warns of unintended consequences CS for SB 928 ("Missy's Law") was reported favorably to require immediate remand to custody upon conviction of dangerous crimes; the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers urged caution, saying failures of interagency communication—not statutory gaps—underpinned the case motivating the bill.

"Florida's 'Missy's Law' aims to enhance public safety by mandating immediate custody for dangerous crime convictions, but critics warn it could create unintended legal chaos."

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#FL #JudicialAccountability #CitizenPortal #CriminalReform #PublicSafety

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Citizen Portal News Arizona

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1 month ago

Committee Narrows Mandatory Transfer Rule for Repeat Juvenile Offenders; Adopts Amendment The committee voted to return HB 2671 with a 'do pass' recommendation after adopting a Blackman amendment. The bill narrows when juveniles are mandatorily transferred to adult court, restores judicial discretion for lower-level repeat felonies, and preserves mandatory transfer for serious violent offenses.

A pivotal vote in Arizona could change the future for juvenile offenders, giving low-level repeat felons a chance at rehabilitation instead of adult court.

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#AZ #JudicialDiscretion #CitizenPortal #CriminalReform #YouthRehabilitation #ArizonaJuvenileJustice

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Judiciary committee adopts substitute combining HB 2637 and HB 3155; advances sentencing transparency changes The House Judiciary Committee adopted a House Committee substitute combining HB 2637 and HB 3155 and voted to report the substitute 'do pass' by a roll call of 8 ayes and 3 noes; testimony reflected a split between calls for transparency and concerns about increased prison time for lower‑level offenses.

1 month ago

The Missouri House Judiciary Committee has stirred controversy by merging two significant bills aimed at sentencing reform, provoking passionate debates about justice and rehabilitation.

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#MO #CitizenPortal #CriminalReform #PublicSafety #MissouriJustice #SentencingTransparency

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Citizen Portal News Connecticut

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1 month ago

Connecticut Board of Pardons and Paroles hears dozens of cases; majority of applicants receive pardons At its Feb. 4, 2026 absolute pardon session the Connecticut Board of Pardons and Paroles heard dozens of applicants, weighed victim statements and supervision histories, and granted a majority of the applications while denying or continuing others for reasons including recent supervision, repetitive conduct, or state’s-attorney objections.

The Connecticut Board of Pardons and Paroles granted the majority of pardons during a historic Zoom session, highlighting the power of rehabilitation and the impact of victim statements.

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#CT #RehabilitationEfforts #CitizenPortal #CriminalReform

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Citizen Portal News Florida

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2 months ago

Committee approves bill to expand CDL training for eligible inmates as workforce strategy CS for HB 325 would expand Department of Corrections CDL training to nonviolent inmates with under two years left on sentence, allow supervised driving of state vehicles, partner with FDOT programs and require annual reporting; the committee adopted a clarifying amendment and reported the bill favorably, 17-0.

A groundbreaking bill aims to tackle Florida's CDL driver shortage by training eligible nonviolent inmates, turning lives around while filling a crucial workforce gap.

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#FL #CitizenPortal #CriminalReform #DriverSafety #WorkforceDevelopment

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Citizen Portal News Florida

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2 months ago

Senate Criminal Justice Committee advances a slate of criminal justice bills; several reported favorably The committee advanced multiple measures on pretrial enforcement, digital voyeurism, inmate services, bail-bond rules, police complaint procedures and insanity-defense reform. Several bills passed committee votes and will move to the next stage for further consideration.

The Florida Senate Criminal Justice Committee has just advanced a series of pivotal bills that could reshape pretrial-release conditions, privacy rights, and police accountability in the state.

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#FL #CriminalReform #PublicSafety #CitizenPortal #CivicAccountability

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Citizen Portal News Delaware

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2 months ago

Delaware committee hears testimony on bill to preserve biological evidence Supporters told the Senate Corrections and Public Safety Committee SB214 would ensure biological evidence is preserved for post-conviction DNA testing; law-enforcement and court witnesses warned the state must address storage space, chain-of-custody and upfront costs before implementation.

Delaware is on the brink of modernizing its criminal justice system with a new bill that could revolutionize how biological evidence is preserved, potentially exonerating the innocent and solving cold cases.

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#DE #InnocenceProtection #CriminalReform #CitizenPortal

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Committee pauses SB 222 extending parole-eligibility window for people sentenced for juvenile offenses; sends bill to study Sen. Jones proposed SB 222 to allow parole consideration for individuals who committed offenses before age 18 but are now 18–20; sponsors cited neuroscience and an estimated 500 affected individuals. Testimony from survivors, family members, and advocacy groups supported the measure; the committee voted to continue study, send a letter to the Commission on Youth and carry the bill into 2027.

2 months ago

Senator Jones' SB 222 could change the lives of young offenders, allowing parole consideration based on neuroscience and rehabilitation, but the bill's future now hangs in a study until 2027.

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#VA #CriminalReform #ParoleEligibility #CitizenPortal #YouthRehabilitation

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Citizen Portal News Washington

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2 months ago

Mixed testimony on retroactive resentencing bill; public defenders warn of heavy workload while advocates and pro‑bono groups say caseload is small Substitute Senate Bill 5,945 would exclude juvenile convictions (except certain violent crimes) from the persistent‑offender list and trigger expedited resentencing; testimony ranged from concerns by prosecutors and public defenders about victim impacts and court workload to pro‑bono capacity claims that only about 10 people statewide would be affected.

A new bill could change the lives of juvenile offenders by revising the persistent offender definition, sparking a heated debate over its impact on victims and the legal system.

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#WA #JuvenileJustice #CriminalReform #VictimSupport #CitizenPortal

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Citizen Portal News Maryland

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2 months ago

Senate to consider technical fix to Juvenile Restoration Act to remove date exclusion Senate Bill 162 would repeal an unintended date restriction in the Juvenile Restoration Act that currently prevents juveniles sentenced after 10/01/2021 from seeking sentence reduction after 20 years. Supporters called it a straightforward fairness fix; prosecutors suggested uniform date limits if changes are made.

Senator Chris West's SB 162 aims to eliminate an unfair date restriction in the Juvenile Restoration Act, allowing all young offenders to seek resentencing after 20 years, regardless of when they were sentenced.

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#MD #MarylandJuvenileJustice #CriminalReform #CitizenPortal

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Justice Committee advances multiple criminal-justice measures to appropriations, including sentence-modification and payment-credit bills The House Justice Committee reported several criminal justice bills to Appropriations, including HB16 (crediting community service performed while incarcerated toward fines and costs), HB17 (extending the delinquency window from 90 to 180 days and requiring deferred payment agreements) and HB26 (automatic hearings to consider modifying certain marijuana sentences).

2 months ago

Virginia's House Justice Committee is pushing forward groundbreaking criminal justice reforms that could reshape how fines are paid and sentences are modified for past marijuana offenses.

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#VA #CriminalReform #VirginiaJustice #CommunityService #SentencingModification

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Committee favors giving judges discretion over secured bonds, amends technical language and reports bill (8–1) The subcommittee amended HB357 to remove mandatory secured‑bond rules so judges can weigh individual risk factors when setting secured versus unsecured bonds; supporters said the change restores judicial discretion and avoids disparate impacts.

2 months ago

Virginia's HB357 empowers judges to make fairer decisions on bonds, eliminating mandatory rules that disproportionately affect low-income individuals.

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#VA #CriminalReform #VirginiaJustice #SocialJustice #JudicialDiscretion #CitizenPortal

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Citizen Portal News Maine

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2 months ago

Committee pauses work on bill to reestablish parole, citing drafting questions The Joint Standing Committee on the Judiciary held a work session on LD 1941, a bill to reestablish parole in Maine. Sponsor Rep. Nina Milliken outlined membership, eligibility, and revocation changes; members asked for corrected amendment text and tabled the bill to allow further drafting and review.

Maine's Joint Standing Committee on the Judiciary has hit pause on a pivotal bill to reestablish parole, sparking intense discussions on its implications and necessary amendments.

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#ME #CriminalReform #ParoleReform #MaineJudiciary #CitizenPortal #CivicAccountability

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Citizen Portal News New Mexico

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2 months ago

Lawmakers debate tougher penalties for felons with guns as officials point to system saturation The governor's office signaled proposals to raise penalties for felons who possess firearms, while sentencing experts told senators most standalone felon‑in‑possession cases involve nonviolent felons and that sentencing enhancements already stack in practice.

As lawmakers grapple with rising crime rates, the debate intensifies over tougher penalties for felons possessing firearms, revealing a complex web of legal challenges and system limitations.

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#NM #CitizenPortal #CriminalReform #PublicSafety #LegislativeAccountability

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Legislators weigh changing Vermont’s recidivism measure in H.410 amid privacy and sentencing concerns Lawmakers and witnesses debated H.410’s proposed recidivism definition, with prosecutors urging a conviction‑to‑conviction measure and public‑defense counsel warning that categorical "recidivism classes" could be misused to limit judicial discretion; researchers urged a clear statutory definition, better labels for DOC data, and targeted studies rather than relying on a single population indicator.

2 months ago

Vermont lawmakers are grappling with a contentious debate over the definition of "recidivism," as prosecutors push for clarity while defense counsel warns of potential sentencing pitfalls.

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#VT #VermontCriminalJustice #CriminalReform #DataAccountability #JudicialDiscretion

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