House File 538 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 538 BY COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY (SUCCESSOR TO HSB 174) A BILL FOR An Act relating to the board of parole. 1 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 2 TLSB 2282HV (2) 85 ec/sc
H.F. 538 Section 1. Section 904A.1, Code 2013, is amended to read as 1 follows: 2 904A.1 Board of parole —— panels . 3 1. The board of parole is created to consist of five seven 4 members. Each member, except the chairperson and the vice 5 chairperson, shall be compensated on a day-to-day basis. Each 6 member shall serve a term of four years beginning and ending 7 as provided by section 69.19 , except for members appointed to 8 fill vacancies who shall serve for the balance of the unexpired 9 term. The terms shall be staggered. The chairperson and vice 10 chairperson of the board shall be full-time, salaried members 11 of the board. 12 2. The board of parole shall be divided into panels of 13 three or five members for the purpose of transacting business 14 and considering inmates for parole and work release. The 15 chairperson shall designate the members and assign the duties 16 of each panel and shall provide that at least one member of 17 each panel shall be the chairperson or vice chairperson of 18 the board. A majority of the members of a panel of the board 19 constitutes a quorum for that panel to transact business. 20 Sec. 2. Section 904A.4, subsection 1, Code 2013, is amended 21 to read as follows: 22 1. The board of parole shall interview and consider inmates 23 for parole and work release and a majority vote of the members 24 of a panel of the board is required to grant a parole or work 25 release. 26 Sec. 3. Section 904A.4A, Code 2013, is amended by adding the 27 following new subsection: 28 NEW SUBSECTION . 2A. Designate the members and assign the 29 duties of each panel of the board of parole. 30 EXPLANATION 31 This bill increases the number of members of the board 32 of parole from five to seven and directs the board to be 33 divided into panels of three or five members for the purpose 34 of transacting business and considering inmates for parole and 35 -1- LSB 2282HV (2) 85 ec/sc 1/ 2
H.F. 538 work release. The bill provides that the chairperson designate 1 the members and assign the duties of each panel. The bill 2 also provides that at least one member of a panel shall be 3 the chairperson or vice chairperson of the board. The bill 4 provides that a majority of the members of a panel of the board 5 constitutes a quorum to transact business and to grant a parole 6 or work release. 7 -2- LSB 2282HV (2) 85 ec/sc 2/ 2