LB50 Advanced to Select File
by Jasmine Harris, MPH, CHES, Director of Public Policy & Advocacy
The Judiciary Committee’s omnibus bill, LB50, advanced to select file last night with a vote of 28-8. Even through some contentious moments, senators continued to work towards agreements on the latest amendment that they hope to have finalized in the next round of debate.
Much of the discussion centered around changes to the habitual crimes enhancement and parole eligibility for people with court sentences that aren’t normally structured with time for parole. These 2 policy changes are significant because time spent in prison has increased by 38% over the past 10 years and grant rates for parole have decreased to 58% in 2020.
The policies in LB50 would address different aspects of the criminal justice system, with notable changes to:
Expand problem solving courts across the state
Create pilot programs to hire assistant probation officers and provide an incentive structure to increase success on probation
Expand parole eligibility through a streamlined process, geriatric parole and updating the decision guidelines to current standards based on research
If we want people to succeed, we have to provide them with preparation and support. LB50 works toward just that.
We encourage you to reach out to senators and thank them for their votes to advance this important legislation to the next round of debate. If your senator did not vote to advance the bill to the next round, give them a call or send an email to discuss their concerns and urge them to vote YES on select file.
