ALC-Executive Subcommittee
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- October 2, 2026
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
1:26
All right, members calling the executive, uh, subcommittee of counsel to order. Um, I know other members have meetings that they need to get to, so we're gonna try to move expeditiously through this, uh, first up is the consideration of emergency rule Department of Corrections. I'll ask them to come to the table and present that rule, please. And introduce yourself for the record when you get there. Good morning, Tony Rowell, chief legal counsel for the Department of Corrections, um.
Speaker 7
1:58
So you have in front of you a proposed emergency rule regarding the accrual of earned release credits. The Protect Arkansas Act in 2023 tasked the Board of Corrections with setting this rule. Uh, just a little bit of history of how we got here and then I'll take any questions on the substance of the rule, um. The former system by which we considered an inmate's early release from prison was almost entirely based on good behavior
and did not have much weight at all for participation in programming. So what that left us with was a system of uh lump sum credits for participation in programs. Uh, they weren't weighted to the length of sentence. They weren't based on the criminogenic needs of the defendant. So with this rule effectively does is takes the amount of time that an offender can earn off of their sentence, and I think it's important to say that pursuant to the Protect Arkansas Act, the assumption you start with is
that the offender is going to serve 100% of their sentence. Every day that they get. off of that period of incarceration they have to earn. Generally about 50% of that period that they can earn away from their sentence is going to be based on good behavior and 50% is going to be based on participation in programs that are tied to their criminogenic needs. When they come in the door, they'll get a validated risk assessment, which is the Ohio Risk Assessment System. We've been in the process of putting that into our offender
management system, um, that risk assessment will say what their criminogenic needs are in a few domains, um, and then they will be basically created a case plan based on what those needs are, uh, when, as they complete programs that are tied to those criminogenic needs, they'll earn the time that is tied to. programming. Um, The Secretary of Corrections is required to publish some sort of manual that sets out a more broken down basic version of
what this rule says because this rule is a little complicated. There's a little bit of math in it, um, as a lawyer, I was not a huge fan of all that math, but um we had to get it in there somehow and the secretary is going to be tasked with publishing a manual that breaks it down into something more digestible, as well as a list of what percentage each offense can earn, and then also each inmate. We'll have to get a one page, um, summary of how they can earn their maximum earned release credits. Uh, I don't want to belabor it, and I know
everybody's on a time crunch, so
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
4:36
I'll take any questions. All right. Thank you for that members' questions on this emergency rule. OK. Well, see none. Then, uh, thank you for that presentation and without objection, the proposed emergency rules reviewed and approved, and the review and approval shall be effective, uh. 12:01 Friday, March 7th, 2025. And that's 12:01 a.m. Thank you.
Thank you. Members moving right down the agenda discussing the captive and broker, uh, Managers, you know, we heard, um, presentations from all of those, um, Thursday and Friday, um, and then with discussion on that, um, so with that I will. Um, open it up for discussion. And or motions at this time. Uh, Representative Ladyman,
Representative Jack Ladyman
Unverified
5:33
you're recognized. Uh, see no discussion, I have a motion. You're recognized. Excuse me, I move that we authorize the Bureau of Legislative Research to enter negotiations with Willis Towers Watson. for a captive manager services agreement to be presented to this subcommittee for approval. All right, thank you,
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
5:57
Representative Ladyman. I have a motion. I have a second. Uh, any discussion.
Uh, Senator Boyd is this discussion or. All right. So no discussion. What's the will of the committee? All in favor say aye. In your post. Eyes have it. All right, uh, Senator Boyd, you were recognized. Thank you, Mr.
Senator Justin Boyd
Unverified
6:19
Chair. I'd like to move that we authorize the Bureau of Legislative Research to enter into negotiations with Stevens for a brokerage services agreement to be presented to this subcommittee for approval. All right, members, you've heard
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
6:31
that motion. Any, any, do I have a second on that motion. I have
a second. Any discussion on that motion? See no discussion. What's the will of the committee? All in favor say aye. Any opposed? I have it. Um, all right, um, Ms. Thayer will be reaching out to to the two mentioned, that would be Stevens and WTW to begin contract negotiations, um, that'll be further discussions with this body as we move forward, so, uh, thank you for your time. I know everyone's busy this morning. I won't belabor this, um, we are adjourned.
Agenda
A. Call to Order
B. Consideration of an Emergency Rule: Department of Corrections - Earned Release Credits
C. Other Business
D. Adjournment
Documents
| Title | Type | Pages | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agenda — ALC - EXECUTIVE SUBCOMMITTEE, Mar 5, 2025 | Agenda | 1 | Official source ↗ |
| Exhibit B - Emergency Rule DOC BOC Earned Release Credits Emergency Rule | Exhibit | 16 | Official source ↗ |
Speakers
Senator Ben Gilmore
Unverified
Speaker 7
Representative Jack Ladyman
Unverified
Senator Justin Boyd
Unverified