AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 40 and Title 41, relative to The Parole Advancement and Reintegration Act.
Summary
HB1057, titled the "Parole Advancement and Reintegration Act," would require the Tennessee Department of Correction to create an early parole termination program for certain parolees. To qualify, a parolee must have maintained stable and verifiable employment for at least six consecutive months, remained law-abiding with no violations or arrests while on parole, and completed all rehabilitation and treatment programs required by the court and the department.
The program would use an earned-time-credit structure similar to the sentence reduction credits available to inmates, with a gradual reduction in supervision and a goal of full discharge from parole after five years in the program. Parolees would be assessed twice each year for eligibility, and the director of probation and parole would establish criteria for early termination and final discharge. The bill also authorizes the Department of Correction to adopt rules to implement the program under the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act.
Impact
The bill would amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 40, Chapter 28, Part 6, and affect parole administration and supervision practices in Tennessee. It would create a new statutory framework for early parole termination, potentially reducing the length of supervision for qualifying parolees and shifting department resources toward a structured reintegration model. The measure also authorizes rulemaking by the Department of Correction, which would be responsible for setting operational details and eligibility procedures.
Sentiment
No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate or formal support/opposition in the available materials. Based on the bill text alone, the proposal appears reform-oriented and focused on reintegration, employment, and compliance-based incentives rather than punishment. The absence of recorded opposition or amendments in the provided context suggests no documented controversy in the materials supplied.
Contention
The main policy questions raised by the bill are how broadly early parole termination should be available, how strict the eligibility standards should be, and how much discretion the Department of Correction and the director of probation and parole should have in approving discharge. Potential points of contention include whether the five-year goal is too short or too long, whether employment and program-completion requirements are sufficient safeguards, and whether the earned-time-credit approach could reduce public-safety oversight. No specific individuals or groups are identified in the provided record as supporting or opposing the measure.
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 9; Title 29; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40 and Title 41, relative to inmates.