05/06/1993 02:35 PM Senate JUD

 SENATOR TAYLOR introduced HB 137 (PAROLE OF TERMINALLY ILL                    
 PRISONERS) and invited the sponsor, REPRESENTATIVE ELDON                      
 MULDER, to testify.                                                           
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE MULDER explained his bill was also an outgrowth                
 of recommendations from the Sentencing Commission and related                 
 to special medical parole for terminally ill inmates.  He                     
 quoted the Department of Corrections as asking for this useful                
 tool to be used by the parole board.  He referred to the                      
 stipulation in the bill that the use of the allowance would                   
 not be used if it would diminish the crime or the parole board                
 thought the inmate was a risk to society.                                     
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE MULDER explained the present practice in                       
 regards to ill inmates with the state picking up 100% of the                  
 cost, but a special medical parole would allow Medicare or                    
 Medicaid to pick up the cost.  He thought the issue was doubly                
 important with AIDS in the inmate population, and he said                     
 there were six identified HIV positive cases within the prison                
 community, although it might be higher.                                       
                                                                               
 SENATOR LITTLE clarified it would only be used in a few cases,                
 and REPRESENTATIVE MULDER agreed it would only be used in very                
 special cases.                                                                
                                                                               
 SENATOR JACKO moved to pass CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 137(JUD)                    
 from committee with individual recommendations.  Without                      
 objections, so ordered.