04/01/1993 08:35 AM House FIN

  HB 137    An  Act  authorizing  special medical  parole  for                 
            terminally ill prisoners.                                          
                                                                               
            CS HB 137 (JUD) was reported out of Committee with                 
            a  "do pass" recommendation  and with  zero fiscal                 
            notes  by  the  Department  of  Corrections  dated                 
            3/01/93 and the Department of Administration.                      
  HOUSE BILL 137                                                               
                                                                               
       "An  Act   authorizing  special   medical  parole   for                 
       terminally ill prisoners."                                              
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE ELDON MULDER stated that HB 137 would provide                 
  special medical parole  for terminally  ill prisoners.   The                 
  Department  of  Corrections  is   responsible  for  inmates'                 
  medical  costs as long as they remain in custody.  He added,                 
  covering  health  costs  is  a   serious  financial  burden,                 
  particularly when a terminal illness is involved.                            
                                                                               
  The bill would give the parole board the discretion to grant                 
  special medical parole  for terminally ill patients  that it                 
  determines are not a threat to society.  Once paroled, their                 
  medical  costs are picked  up by Medicare  or Medicaid, thus                 
  easing   the   financial  burden   on   the   Department  of                 
  Corrections.                                                                 
                                                                               
  Co-Chair  Larson  asked   who  decides  if  a   prisoner  is                 
  terminally ill.   Representative   Mulder said the  decision                 
  would be make by a common consensus of physicians.                           
                                                                               
  Representative    Foster  MOVED  to  report  HB  137 out  of                 
  Committee  with  individual  recommendations  and  with  the                 
  accompanying zero fiscal notes.   There being NO OBJECTIONS,                 
  it was so ordered.                                                           
                                                                               
  CS  HB 137 (JUD)  was reported out  of Committee  with a "do                 
  pass" recommendation and with  two zero fiscal notes by  the                 
  Department of Corrections  dated 3/01/93 and the  Department                 
  of Administration.