MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1997 Regular Session

To: Penitentiary

By: Representative Malone

House Bill 608

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 47-7-4, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT ANY OFFENDER PLACED ON MEDICAL RELEASE SHALL BE CLASSIFIED AS A PAROLED OFFENDER AND SHALL BE UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE DIVISION OF COMMUNITY SERVICES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS; TO EXTEND FROM JULY 1, 1997, TO JULY 1, 1998, THE DATE ON WHICH THE LAW, WHICH AUTHORIZES CERTAIN OFFENDERS TO BE PLACED ON MEDICAL RELEASE, WILL BE REPEALED; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 47-7-4, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

47-7-4. The commissioner, a member of the board and the medical director of the department, by majority vote, may place an offender who has served not less than one (1) year of his sentence, except an offender convicted of a sex crime, on medical release. The commissioner shall not place an offender on medical release unless the medical director of the department certifies to the commissioner that (a) the offender is suffering from a significant permanent physical medical condition with no possibility of recovery; (b) that his further incarceration will serve no rehabilitative purposes; and (c) that the state would incur unreasonable expenses as a result of his continued incarceration. Any offender placed on medical release shall be classified as a paroled offender and shall be under the supervision of the Division of Community Services of the department. This section shall stand repealed from and after July 1, 1998.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1997.