Resolve, To Reestablish the Commission To Improve the Sentencing, Supervision, Management and Incarceration of Prisoners

Emergency preamble. Whereas,  acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and

Whereas,  this legislation establishes the Commission To Improve the Sentencing, Supervision, Management and Incarceration of Prisoners; and

Whereas,  the study must be initiated before the 90-day period expires in order that the study may be completed and a report submitted in time for submission to the next legislative session; and

Whereas,  in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore, be it

Sec. 1. Commission established. Resolved: That, notwithstanding Joint Rule 353, the Commission To Improve the Sentencing, Supervision, Management and Incarceration of Prisoners, referred to in this section as "the commission," is established.

1. Commission membership. The commission consists of 17 members as follows:

2. Appointments; chair; meetings. All appointments must be made no later than 30 days following the effective date of this resolve. The Governor shall appoint a chair from among the membership of the commission, who shall call and convene the first meeting of the commission no later than 30 days after appointments of all members. The commission may hold up to 6 meetings, which, at the discretion of the chair, may include public hearings.

3. Duties. The duties of the commission are as follows.

4. Staff assistance. The Department of Corrections shall provide necessary staffing services to the commission.

5. Compensation. The members of the commission who are Legislators are entitled to the legislative per diem, as defined in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 3, section 2, and reimbursement for necessary expenses incurred for their attendance at authorized meetings of the commission. Members of the commission who are not otherwise compensated by their employers or other entities that they represent are entitled to receive reimbursement of necessary expenses incurred for their attendance at authorized meetings.

6. Report. No later than December 4, 2019, the commission shall submit a report detailing its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Joint Standing Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety and to the Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary, each of which may report out legislation related to the report to the Second Regular Session of the 129th Legislature.

Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved.

SUMMARY

This resolve reestablishes the Commission To Improve the Sentencing, Supervision, Management and Incarceration of Prisoners, which was previously established by the 121st Legislature in 2003. This 17-member commission is charged with conducting research and preparing recommendations on a variety of issues relating to the sentencing of prisoners, the management of county and state correctional facilities and the treatment of prisoners within those facilities.

The commission is directed to submit, no later than December 4, 2019, a report detailing its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Joint Standing Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety and to the Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary, each of which may report out legislation relating to the report to the Second Regular Session of the 129th Legislature.