Little Rock, Arkansas. A new year brings new laws in Arkansas, reflecting the most recent legislative session at the state capitol.
A significant change on January 1 was the implementation of the 2023 Protect Act sentencing changes, which resulted in longer prison terms for convicted felons by delaying parole eligibility.
Portions of the act have been in effect since its passage, but as of January 1, those convicted of serious crimes must serve 85-100% of their sentence before being released, with the exact amount varying depending on the severity of the felony.
A smaller portion of the act requires inmates to serve at least 25-50% of their sentence before becoming eligible for early release.
The act also authorizes the Post-Prison Transfer Board to determine earned release credits ranging from 50 to 75 percent based on the seriousness determination made by the Arkansas Sentencing Commission and approved by the legislative council.
“We know it will take two, three, four, or five years to fully implement and begin to see significant results, but look, I’m hearing stories from prosecutors with recordings of inmates saying, ‘We got to settle our case before this goes into effect.'” They don’t understand how it works,
but it shows that they recognize the gravity of the consequences,” said State Senate President Pro Tempore Bart Hester (R-Cave Springs).
Despite the law’s overwhelming passage, Democrats opposed it, arguing that higher incarceration rates are not the best way to combat crime in the state.
“Arkansas already has one of the highest incarceration rates in the country, and the United States has one of the world’s highest incarceration rates,” Democratic Sen. Greg Leding (D-Fayetteville) stated. “It’s very expensive to lock people up.
We [Democrats] simply believe there are smarter, more cost-effective ways to keep the public safe.”
Another law going into effect this year aims to reduce or eliminate the need for prior authorizations for any organizations participating in Medicare programs.
Prior authorizations are defined in the law as approvals required by Medicare or insurance providers prior to the provision of healthcare services.
The general session begins on January 13, and lawmakers have stated that they will focus on continuing some of the work completed during the previous session. The state budget will also receive attention.
