Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Rhode Island General Assembly, fetched 2026-07-29. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
S2159 2026 -- S 2159 ======== LC003696 ======== STATE OF RHODE ISLAND IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026 ____________ A N A C T RELATING TO CRIMINALS -- CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS -- PAROLE Introduced By: Senators Kallman, Mack, Quezada, Lauria, Vargas, DiMario, Tikoian, Pearson, Urso, and Thompson Date Introduced: January 16, 2026 Referred To: Senate Judiciary It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: 1 SECTION 1. Section 13-8-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 13-8 entitled Parole is 2 hereby amended to read as follows: 3 13-8-2. Qualifications of board members. 4 The seven (7) electors to be named by the governor shall have the following qualifications: 5 (1)(i) One of the qualified electors shall be a psychologist or a physician who is 6 professionally qualified in the field of psychiatry or neurology; 7 (ii) One shall be a member in good standing of the Rhode Island bar; 8 (iii) One shall be a person who is professionally trained in correctional work or in some 9 closely related general field as a social work; and 10 (iv) One shall be a law enforcement officer; and 11 (v) One shall be a person formerly incarcerated or directly impacted by the criminal legal 12 system who has completed the probation and parole process three (3) or more years prior with a 13 background in one of the following areas: psychology, mental health and/or substance use, 14 transitional housing, re-entry after incarceration, education or law. 15 (2) All of the qualified electors shall be individuals who shall also have shown an interest 16 in social welfare problems. 1 SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. ======== LC003696 ======== LC003696 - Page 2 of 3 EXPLANATION BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF A N A C T RELATING TO CRIMINALS -- CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS -- PAROLE *** 1 This act would require one elector of the parole board to be a person directly impacted by 2 the criminal justice system who has completed the probation/parole process three (3) or more years 3 prior to selection with a professional background in certain enumerated areas. 4 This act would take effect upon passage. ======== LC003696 ======== LC003696 - Page 3 of 3
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