MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2001 Regular Session

To: Penitentiary

By: Representative Ellis, Clarke, Henderson, Howell, Huddleston, Smith (35th), Thomas

AN ACT TO CREATE A MEDICAL RELEASE PROGRAM FOR OFFENDERS IN THE CUSTODY OF THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS WHO ARE CHRONICALLY ILL; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. The Commissioner and the Medical Director of the Department of Corrections may place an offender who has served not less than one (1) year of his sentence 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 chronically ill; (b) his continued incarceration will serve no rehabilitative purposes; and (c) the state would incur unreasonable expenses as a result of his continued incarceration.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.