Signed by Governor Tate Reeves

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report that authorizes employers to sponsor parolees and offenders on probation while employed.

Highlights:

• Authorizes the employer of an offender to submit time cards, proof of employment, and the results of any required drug test to the person’s parole or probation supervisor in lieu of required meetings (Sec. 1, Pg. 1).

• Authorizes an employer to withhold from the offender any amount from their paycheck to cover fees for the above services (Sec. 1, Pg. 1).

• Specifies that the above provisions do not apply to offenders who are self-employed (Sec. 1, Pg. 2).

• Requires an offender’s parole or probation supervisor to set the meeting times and locations required of them (Sec. 2, Pg. 2).

• Authorizes said meetings to occur virtually (Sec. 2, Pg. 2).

• Requires the Department of Corrections to adopt rules governing the standards for the required meetings and authorized meeting technologies (Sec. 2, Pgs. 2 & 3).

• Specifies that the above provisions regarding mandatory meetings do not apply to offenders whose employers have agreed to sponsor the submission of the relevant information pursuant to this act (Sec. 2, Pg. 3).

• Requires offenders on parole, probation, supervised release, post-release supervision, and other monitoring to pay a monthly fee of $55 to the Department of Corrections (Sec. 3, Pg. 3).

• Specifies that an offender may apply for a hardship waiver of the above monthly fee granted by the sentencing court or the Department that shall last no longer than 90 days (Sec. 3, Pg. 3).

• Authorizes a court to impose a fine no greater than $1,000 on an offender, in addition to any other sentencing, to be deposited into the Crisis Victims’ Compensation Fund (Sec. 3, Pg. 4).

• Specifies that no offender shall be required to make the above payment for a period longer than 10 years (Sec. 3, Pg. 5).

• Authorizes the offender to be imprisoned until the above payment is made (Sec. 3, Pg. 5).

• Authorizes an offender’s employer to satisfy the above financial responsibilities (Sec. 3, Pg. 5).

• Specifies that this act takes effect on and after July 1, 2022 (Sec. 4, Pg. 5).

Full Bill Text