RONNIE ELLIS
CNHI News Service
Franfort
Tue, May 13 2008
—
In a somewhat confusing procedural drama, the House first defeated a bill to increase the number of parole board members, allow video conference and face-to-face parole hearings for Class C felons and then turned around but then voted to reconsider the bill on Thursday.
The net effect was to remove a floor amendment from the bill sponsored by Rep. Robin Webb, D-Grayson, which is intended to help non-violent drug offenders win parole and ease prison and sometimes jail overcrowding. It would create five two-person parole board teams to expedite the number of parole hearings and allow video conference review with those seeking parole.
But Rep. Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, objected to a floor amendment which specifically named Class C felony drug, forgery or theft offenses because, he said, many of those offenders are drug traffickers.
“Her amendment limited that not just to Class Cs but only to those with drug, forgery or fraud,” Stumbo said, adding that many of those are serious drug offenders who need to remain in jail. He said he voted for the bill in committee and – absent the amendment language – “probably will vote for the bill tomorrow.”
Webb said she had no indication the challenge would come on the floor, noting Stumbo voted for the bill in committee where she said the floor amendment was discussed. The first vote Wednesday – to defeat the bill – garnered several Republican votes but also several Democratic votes from eastern Kentucky.
“As eastern Kentuckians, we certainly feel directly the impact of the drug epidemic more than most,” Webb said. But she said the bill was directed at those who need treatment rather than incarceration.
The amendment gave the parole board discretion to hold such video hearings – rather than simply reviewing an offender’s file – rather than requiring them. Those who get face-to-face hearings stand a better chance at parole. And she conceded the bill was also aimed at reducing Kentucky’s burgeoning inmate population. The state’s growth rate in inmates last year led the nation and the state now imprisons more than 22,500 inmates. According to the Department of Corrections, nearly three quarters of them are Class C and Class D felons, the lowest level of felony crimes and usually involving non-violent offenses.
“Granted, some Class Cs are traffickers and deserve long-term incarceration,” said Webb. “But that was still in the parole board’s discretion.”
House Judiciary Chair Kathy Stein, D-Lexington, said the original debate before the initial vote “got to be too much of a soft-on-crime (vote) and a lot of members are afraid to be seen as soft on crime. But this bill is being smart on crime.”
After the vote, Webb and Stumbo conferred and Stumbo agreed to move to reconsider the bill – but without the amendment. The two even embraced on the floor.
RONNIE ELLIS writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort. Reach him at rellis@cnhi.com.
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Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.