State Senator Randolph Bracy (D-Ocoee), has filed SB 394, the Senate companion to HB 189 by Representative Dianne Hart (D-Tampa) & House Democratic Leader Kionne McGhee (D-Cutler Bay). The bill would retroactively reduce the minimum term of imprisonment for non-violent offenders from 85% to 65% of their sentence.
Currently, inmates in the custody of the Florida Department of Corrections (FDOC) may earn gain time for good behavior or educational programming, thereby reducing their actual time served. However, gain time cannot currently result in a term of imprisonment that is less than 85% of the prisoner’s sentence. SB 394 and HB 189 would change this, allowing non-violent offenders to serve 65% of their sentence when sufficient gain time has been earned.
Senator Bracy, who sponsored a similar proposal in previous years, noted the following:
“I have received overwhelming support from my constituents and from Floridians throughout the state for a retroactive measure that would reduce the time-served minimum to 65%. SB 394 is a direct response to this input, and will result in significant savings to the state—reducing FDOC costs by an estimated $860 million over the next five years—by providing a second chance to low-risk offenders.”
