TO:	Honorable Harold V. Dutton, Jr., Chair, House Committee on Juvenile Justice & Family Issues
FROM:	Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB53 by McClendon (Relating to the age of criminal responsibility and to certain substantive and procedural matters related to that age.), As Introduced

The provisions of the bill addressing felony sanctions for adult offenders are the subject of this analysis. The bill would amend various codes as they relate to the age of criminal responsibility and to certain substantive and procedural matters related to that age. The bill would also change the punishment for 18 year olds convicted of a capital felony in certain circumstances from life without parole to life and the impact of this change would not be realized in the first five years following passage.

Under the provisions of the bill, individuals who are 17 at offense would be considered juveniles and would be under the jurisdiction of juvenile courts and the juvenile justice system instead of the adult criminal justice system. In fiscal year 2014, there were 514 new admissions to adult correctional institutions for persons who were 17 at offense and who, under the provisions of the bill, would no longer be eligible for adult correctional institutions and no longer be eligible for release to adult parole supervision.  It is assumed a portion of those who entered in fiscal year 2014 would have been eligible for release to parole supervision in fiscal year 2020. In fiscal year 2014, 1,897 persons were placed on adult felony community supervision who were 17 at offense and would no longer be eligible for adult felony community supervision.  Assuming sentencing patterns and policies not addressed in the bill remain constant, the probable impact on adult correctional populations of implementing the provisions of the bill during each of the first five years following passage is estimated as follows: