MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2002 Regular Session
To: Penitentiary
By: Representative Moak
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 47-5-138, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT PERSONS CONVICTED OF ROBBERY, ATTEMPTED ROBBERY, CARJACKING, DRIVE-BY SHOOTING OR SEX CRIMES SHALL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR EARNED-TIME ALLOWANCES; TO PROVIDE THAT PERSONS CONVICTED AS A HABITUAL CRIMINAL SHALL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR EARNED-TIME ALLOWANCES; TO PROVIDE THAT PERSONS SENTENCED TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT WITHOUT ELIGIBILITY FOR PAROLE SHALL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR EARNED-TIME ALLOWANCES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 47-5-138, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
47-5-138. (1) The department may promulgate rules and regulations to carry out an earned time allowance program based on the good conduct and performance of an inmate. An inmate is eligible to receive an earned-time allowance of one-half (1/2) of the period of confinement imposed by the court except those inmates excluded by law. When an inmate is committed to the custody of the department, the department shall determine a conditional earned-time release date by subtracting the earned-time allowance from an inmate's term of sentence. This subsection does not apply to any sentence imposed after June 30, 1995.
(2) An inmate may forfeit all or part of his earned-time allowance for a serious violation of rules. No forfeiture of the earned-time allowance shall be effective except upon approval of the commissioner or his designee, and forfeited earned-time may not be restored.
(3) (a) For the purposes of this subsection, "final order" means an order of a state or federal court that dismisses a lawsuit brought by an inmate while the inmate was in the custody of the Department of Corrections as frivolous, malicious or for failure to state a claim upon which relief could be granted.
(b) On receipt of a final order, the department shall forfeit:
(i) Sixty (60) days of an inmate's accrued earned time if the department has received one (1) final order as defined herein;
(ii) One hundred twenty (120) days of an inmate's accrued earned time if the department has received two (2) final orders as defined herein;
(iii) One hundred eighty (180) days of an inmate's accrued earned time if the department has received three (3) or more final orders as defined herein.
(c) The department may not restore earned time forfeited under this subsection.
(4) An inmate who meets the good conduct and performance requirements of the earned-time allowance program may be released on his conditional earned-time release date.
(5) For any sentence imposed after June 30, 1995, an inmate may receive an earned-time allowance of four and one-half (4-1/2) days for each thirty (30) days served if the department determines that the inmate has complied with the good conduct and performance requirements of the earned-time allowance program. The earned-time allowance under this subsection shall not exceed fifteen percent (15%) of an inmate's term of sentence.
(6) Any inmate, who is released before the expiration of his term of sentence under this section, shall be placed under earned-release supervision until the expiration of the term of sentence. The inmate shall retain inmate status and remain under the jurisdiction of the department. The period of earned-release supervision shall be conducted in the same manner as a period of supervised parole. The department shall develop rules, terms and conditions for the earned-release supervision program. The commissioner shall designate the appropriate classification committee or other division within the department to conduct revocation hearings for inmates violating the conditions of earned-release supervision.
(7) If the earned-release supervision is revoked, the inmate shall serve the remainder of the sentence and the time the inmate was on earned-release supervision, shall not be applied to and shall not reduce his sentence.
(8) No person who has been convicted of robbery, attempted robbery or carjacking, as provided in Section 97-3-115, or drive-by shooting, as provided in Section 97-3-109, shall be eligible for earned-time allowances.
(9) No person who has been convicted of a sex crime shall be eligible for earned-time allowances.
(10) No person convicted as a habitual criminal under the provisions of Sections 99-19-81 through 99-19-87 shall be eligible for earned-time allowances.
(11) No person who is convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment without eligibility for parole under the provisions of Section 99-19-101 shall be eligible for earned-time allowances.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2002.