Senate Judiciary & Rules Committee Minutes 2005 MINUTES SENATE JUDICIARY AND RULES COMMITTEE DATE: January 14, 2005 TIME: 1:30 PLACE: Room 437 MEMBERS: Chairman Darrington, Vice Chairman Richardson, Senators Bunderson, Davis, Lodge, Sweet, Jorgenson, Burkett, Kelly Senator Darrington introduced the new members of our committee, Senator Mike Jorgenson and Senator Kate Kelly and welcomed them as well as our page, Brittany Mullen, from Declo High School. The following are a series of bills that the Supreme Court has recommended to the Governor concerning defects or omissions in the law, as required under Article V, section 25 of the Idaho Constitution RS14528 Mike Henderson, Legal Counsel for the Supreme court presented this legislation that deals with expungement of juvenile convictions under the Juvenile Corrections Act providing for expungement in certain cases where the juvenile “has not been adjudicated. However, because of an amendment to this statute in 2004, this subsection is not contained in the proper subsection and needs to be changed. MOTION: Senator Davis made a motion to send RS14528 to print. Second was by Senator Burkett and the motion carried by a voice vote. RS14529 This legislation would amend Idaho Code Section 19-851 to make clear that “serious crime” includes any misdemeanor that includes the possibility of confinement. MOTION: Senator Lodge made a motion to send RS14529 to print. Second was by Senator Richardson and the motion carried by a voice vote. RS 14530 This bill relates to the Juvenile Corrections Act to clarify that courts have jurisdiction for offenses that occur in the State of Idaho. MOTION: Senator Richardson made a motion to send RS14530 to print. Second was by Senator Lodge and the motion carried by a voice vote. RS14531 Relating to Courts to provide clarity that the magistrate’s division of the district court is a court of record. MOTION: Senator Jorgenson made a motion to send RS14531 to print. Second was by Senator Lodge and the motion carried by a voice vote. Olivia Craven, Executive Director of the Commission on Pardons and Parole introduced the members of the Commission to the committee. They are Anna Jane Dressen, Robin Sandy, Mike Mathews, Del Ray Holm, and Bud Brinegar. Anna Jane Dressen - appointed to the Commission on Pardons and Parole to serve a term commencing January 1, 2005 and expiring January 1, 2008. Ms. Dressen is an Idaho native who lives in Coeur d’Alene and is being re-appointed to the Commission. She told the committee that the work is challenging, unique and sometimes heartbreaking, but can also be rewarding. They have recently been reviewing those for pardons who have gone into the world and made anew life after keeping conditions of parole and she assured the committee that “the system works”. Senator Darrington asked about the rate of parole, which is 63%. Ms. Dressen attributes this to better prepared people who cooperate with the programs. When the Commission reviews the file material, they find they are able to conduct themselves in a better manner. She is in strong support of hearing officers. Senator Richardson asked about prison capacity moving faster, and Ms. Dressen responded that if there were more programs, prisoners would move through the system faster. Senator Bunderson asked about mandatory minimums for the prison population. Ms. Dressen said that mandatory minimums are for very serious crimes and that judges usually add time to them, not cut the time down. She would like to see more halfway houses. Senator Davis asked her on average, how many hours she spends with hearings. She said that they serve in panels of 3 and usually spend one to one and a half days reading to prepare for the hearings. They have hearings for 80-100 days, and some of those days are 16 hours long. Senator Davis thanked her for her service on behalf of the State of Idaho. Senator Lodge also thanked her and her family for her service and inquired about the percentage of those parolees with family support. Ms. Dressen replied that there is more support than you would think, as they usually have a packed house for the hearings, and she would guess about 65% have family support. Ms. Dressen expressed annoyance when the inmates sit on their bunks and don’t want parole. When this happens, their rewards are taken away. For them to stay in prison is the salary of a school teacher, but if they are kicked out, they will commit a crime to get back in. Senator Jorgenson asked about the rewards and was told that inmates need to work to pay for goods in the commissary. Senator Burkett asked about those who don’t want parole and was told that there are about a 100 a year who refuse parole and programming. Other members of the Commission spoke briefly to the committee. Del Ray Holm has been on the Commission for 22 years and feels that if the Department of Correction will prepare the inmates, the Commission will get them out. Mike Matthews has served for 10 months and remarked that it is unbelievable to see that many people with that many problems. There is no one else to take the mental inmates so they stay there to protect society and help families. Robin Sandy told the committee that if we would do away with drugs, there wouldn’t be problems, as there are so many that have inhaled chemicals and now have no short or long SENATE JUDICIARY AND RULES January 14, 2005 - Minutes - Page 2 term memory and if released, simply cannot remember to not commit a crime. They cannot remember being trained, so the programs don’t work for them. OVERVIEW Olivia Craven gave the committee an overview of the activities of the commission for the last year. The Commission is composed of 5 part-time members, who are appointed by the Governor for 3-year terms. They conduct hearings every month. For 8 months of the year, these hearings are in Boise, and for 4 months they are in the Northern and Eastern part of the State. During the holdbacks, hearings in Orofino were done by video conference. This saved about $12,000 but isn’t working as well as an actual hearing, so those visits will resume in May. There are seven crimes where the Commission conducts the hearings and makes a recommendation to the Governor for final approval. They are Murder, Voluntary manslaughter, Rape, Kidnapping, Lewd and Lascivious conduct with a minor child and manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance. In CY 2004, there were 1904 hearings, 122 fewer than in 2003. There were 1018 releases/parole, which is 157 fewer than in 2004. The parole grant rate is 60%, which is the same as 2003, but 4% more than in 2002. All parole decisions of the Commission can be appealed and they grant 33% of the appeals. The return rate for 2004 was 35% and about 33% of those arrested for violations are reinstated. In CY 2004, 52% of the violators had used meth. She concluded that there are no pat answers to solving the problem of crime. Drug Courts on the front end are a very positive part of our Criminal Justice System to divert offenders into treatment and the process is to balance the safety and good of the general public and rehabilitation of the offender. A previous administrator called the Commission the “conscience” of the Idaho Department of Corrections. She invited the committee members to visit a hearing and see what the Commissioners do. ADJOURN: Meeting was adjourned at 2:50 p.m. Senator Denton Darrington Marianne Hansen Chairman Secretary SENATE JUDICIARY AND RULES January 14, 2005 - Minutes - Page 3 MINUTES SENATE JUDICIARY AND RULES COMMITTEE DATE: January 19, 2005 TIME: 1:30 p.m. PLACE: Room 437 MEMBERS Chairman Darrington, Vice Chairman Richardson, Senators Bunderson, PRESENT: Davis, Lodge, Jorgenson, Burkett, Kelly ABSENT: Senator Sweet COMMITTEE The committee voted on the Gubernatorial Appointment of Anna VOTE: Jane Dressen to the Commission of Pardons and Parole. Senator Jorgenson made the motion to send the confirmation to the full Senate. Second was by Senator Bunderson and the motion passed by a unanimous voice vote. MINUTES: Senator Lodge made a motion to accept the minutes of January 14. Second was by Senator Jorgenson. Motion carried by a voice vote. RS14489 This legislation was presented by David Haas, from the Dept. of Correction and is adopting a new section to set forth provisions applicable to the medical costs of state prisoners housed in correctional facilities. The State board will pay a provider of a medical service for any and all poisoners confined in a correctional facility, for an amount no greater than the reimbursement rate applicable based on the Idaho Medicaid reimbursement rate. MOTION: Senator Davis made a motion to send RS14489 to print. Second was by Senator Richardson and the motion carried by a voice vote. RS14410C1 This legislation presented by Mond Warren of Health and Welfare will help the state protect vulnerable Idahoans by providing the Department with statutory authority to require fingerprint-based criminal history background checks on employees, contractors, providers and others who have unsupervised contact or provide direct care services to children and vulnerable adults. MOTION: Senator Richardson made a motion to send RS14410C1 to print. Second was by Senator Lodge and the motion carried by a voice vote. RS14379 George Gutierrez, Industrial Commission presented this legislation that increases the funeral, burial, and cremation benefits under the Crime Victim’s Compensation law for victims of violent crime in Idaho from $2500 to $5000 when they have no other source of funding.