California lawmakers resurrect controversial bill allowing early release for some felons serving life without parole

By Ashley Zavala

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    SACRAMENTO, California (KCRA) — After being shelved for nearly a year, California lawmakers in the Assembly dusted off a controversial, proposed law that will allow some convicted felons serving life without parole to petition for early release.

The proposal would create a process for those offenders to have their prison sentences reduced if they’ve been behind bars for at least 25 years or since 1990, including those convicted of murder. Serial killers and those who have killed police officers would not be eligible.

SB 94 was removed from the Assembly’s “inactive file” on Monday, meaning it’s back in circulation through the state’s lawmaking process. The action was taken without discussion on the Assembly floor.

The bill had nearly made it to the finish line last legislative session, but Democrats placed it on the inactive file when it became eligible for a vote on the Assembly floor.

The leader of Crime Victims United quickly crafted a letter Monday afternoon, urging lawmakers to vote no on the bill.

“We believe that this bill is not only unjust but also undermines the rule of law and the justice system in our country,” wrote Harriet Salarno, the chair of CVU. “It would allow individuals who committed heinous crimes to potentially escape justice and receive reduced sentences, despite the severity of their offenses.”

Supporters of the measure have said the bill would not guarantee early release but would provide a process for those serving sentences of life without parole who were convicted decades ago, before the state’s criminal justice reforms were enacted.

“There are people languishing in state prisons that if they were in court today, would receive a more just sentence,” wrote an official with the Ella Baker Center in support of the bill in an analysis of it last year.

It’s not clear when exactly the Assembly will vote on the bill.

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