H.F. 348 Section 1. Section 915.18, subsection 1, paragraph a, Code 1 2015, is amended to read as follows: 2 a. (1) Not Except as provided in subparagraph (2), not 3 less than twenty twenty-five days prior to conducting a hearing 4 at which the board will interview an offender, the board shall 5 notify the victim of the interview and inform the victim that 6 the victim may submit the victim’s opinion concerning the 7 release of the offender in writing prior to the hearing or may 8 appear personally or by counsel at the hearing to express an 9 opinion concerning the offender’s release. 10 (2) The notification in subparagraph (1) shall be provided 11 to a registered victim not less than sixty days prior to the 12 hearing if the victim resides outside the state. 13 (3) The notification provided pursuant to this paragraph 14 “a” shall be by regular mail but electronic mail shall also be 15 used if the registered victim has requested notification by 16 electronic mail. However, electronic mail shall not be in lieu 17 of regular mail. 18 EXPLANATION 19 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 20 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 21 This bill relates to the board of parole notifying a crime 22 victim of a parole hearing. The bill requires the board of 23 parole to notify a registered victim not less than 25 days 24 prior to the parole hearing of the perpetrator of the crime. 25 However, the bill requires that such notification shall be 26 provided to a registered victim not less than 60 days prior to 27 the hearing if the victim resides outside the state. Current 28 law requires the board of parole to notify a victim not less 29 than 20 days prior to such a hearing. 30 The notification required by the bill shall be by regular 31 mail, but electronic mail shall also be used if requested by 32 the registered victim. However, electronic mail shall not be 33 used in lieu of regular mail. 34 -1- LSB 1395HV (3) 86 jm/nh 1/ 1