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HB 3509

CD CORR-PAROLE-25 YRS

104th Regular Session Introduced by Justin Slaughter

Expands parole eligibility for natural life inmates and creates a 55+, 25+ year petition pathway to parole, with retroactive application and new hearing rules.

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Bill Summary · HB 3509

HB 3509 — Summary (CD CORR‑PAROLE‑25 YRS)

Author: Rep. Justin Slaughter
Introduced: February 2025
Status: Rule 19(a) / Re‑referred to Rules Committee; committee and calendar activity through May 14, 2025 (see legislative actions). Companion: SB 1921.

Purpose / Intent

HB 3509 amends the Unified Code of Corrections to expand parole and mandatory supervised release eligibility for people serving life sentences and to create a specific parole‑petition pathway for older incarcerated persons who have served long consecutive terms. The bill makes these changes retroactive and establishes procedural rules for review.

Key provisions

  • Removes the categorical prohibition (previous law) that persons serving natural life imprisonment may be released only by executive clemency.
  • Explicitly provides that a person serving a natural life term is eligible for:
    • Parole under a newly added Section 3‑3‑16; and
    • Mandatory supervised release under subsection (d) of Section 5‑8‑1.
  • Creates a parole petition pathway: a committed person who
    • is at least 55 years old, and
    • has served at least 25 consecutive years of incarceration is eligible to submit a petition to the Prisoner Review Board (PRB) seeking parole.
    • Exception: this 55/25 pathway excludes persons sentenced to natural life imprisonment for a Class X felony conviction of criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual assault, or predatory criminal sexual assault of a child.
  • Procedural rules for petitions/hearings:
    • The PRB must hold a hearing on each eligible petition and consider statutory factors shown in the petition or at the hearing.
    • Victims and victims’ families must be timely notified and given an opportunity to participate consistent with the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act and the Open Parole Hearings Act.
    • Hearings under these provisions must be conducted by a panel of at least eight PRB members; a majority vote of that panel is required to grant parole.
    • The PRB must render a written decision stating the basis in the Board record and provide written notice to the petitioner within a reasonable time.
    • If parole is denied, the PRB must provide for a rehearing no later than 3 years after denial.
  • Retroactivity and effective date:
    • Applies retroactively to persons serving sentences imposed before, on, or after the effective date.
    • Calculation of eligibility counts all consecutive years served before, on, and after the effective date.
    • Effective immediately upon enactment.

Who is affected

  • Expands potential eligibility for parole and supervised release to persons serving natural life terms (subject to the bill’s substantive and procedural rules).
  • Specifically creates a release pathway for older prisoners (55+) with long consecutive incarceration (25+ years), except for those serving natural life for specified Class X sexual offenses.
  • Affects victims and families by preserving notification and participation rights in hearings.
  • Impacts the Prisoner Review Board operationally (larger hearing panels, increased workload from retroactive petitions).

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Could produce a significant number of retroactive petitions, increasing PRB caseload and administrative burden.
  • Alters long‑standing limits on release of people serving life imprisonment, potentially increasing parole grants for elderly, long‑incarcerated individuals while retaining exclusions for serious sexual offenses.
  • Emphasizes victims’ participation and sets a fixed rehearing interval (no later than 3 years) after denial.

For current procedural status, see legislative actions (most recent activity: laid on table subject to call, May 14, 2025).

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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