Bill Text: IN HB1249 | 2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Educational credit time.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-01-22 - Representative VanNatter added as coauthor [HB1249 Detail]
Download: Indiana-2013-HB1249-Introduced.html
Citations Affected: IC 35-50-6-3.3.
Synopsis: Educational credit time. Prohibits a person who has
previously earned an associate's or bachelor's degree from earning
educational credit time for earning an additional associate's or
bachelor's degree while incarcerated. Provides that a person
incarcerated for a sex offense may not earn educational credit time for
earning an associate's or bachelor's degree. Specifies that educational
credit time will be deducted from the sentence if the person is a sex or
violent offender. (Current law requires that the credit time be deducted
from the release date.)
Effective: July 1, 2013.
January 14, 2013, read first time and referred to Committee on Courts and Criminal Code.
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A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning
corrections.
(1) is in credit Class I;
(2) has demonstrated a pattern consistent with rehabilitation; and
(3) successfully completes requirements to obtain one (1) of the following:
(A) A general educational development (GED) diploma under IC 20-20-6 (before its repeal) or IC 22-4.1-18, if the person has not previously obtained a high school diploma.
(B) Except as provided in subsection (n), a high school diploma, if the person has not previously obtained a general educational development (GED) diploma.
(C) An associate's degree from an approved postsecondary educational institution (as defined under IC 21-7-13-6(a)), if
the person has not previously obtained an associate's
degree.
(D) A bachelor's degree from an approved postsecondary
educational institution (as defined under IC 21-7-13-6(a)), if
the person has not previously obtained a bachelor's degree.
(b) In addition to any credit time that a person earns under
subsection (a) or section 3 of this chapter, a person may earn credit
time if, while confined by the department of correction, the person:
(1) is in credit Class I;
(2) demonstrates a pattern consistent with rehabilitation; and
(3) successfully completes requirements to obtain at least one (1)
of the following:
(A) A certificate of completion of a career and technical
education program approved by the department of correction.
(B) A certificate of completion of a substance abuse program
approved by the department of correction.
(C) A certificate of completion of a literacy and basic life
skills program approved by the department of correction.
(D) A certificate of completion of a reformative program
approved by the department of correction.
(c) The department of correction shall establish admissions criteria
and other requirements for programs available for earning credit time
under subsection (b). A person may not earn credit time under both
subsections (a) and (b) for the same program of study.
(d) The amount of credit time a person may earn under this section
is the following:
(1) Six (6) months for completion of a state of Indiana general
educational development (GED) diploma under IC 20-20-6
(before its repeal) or IC 22-4.1-18.
(2) One (1) year for graduation from high school.
(3) One (1) year for completion of an associate's degree.
(4) Two (2) years for completion of a bachelor's degree.
(5) Not more than a total of six (6) months of credit, as
determined by the department of correction, for the completion of
one (1) or more career and technical education programs
approved by the department of correction.
(6) Not more than a total of six (6) months of credit, as
determined by the department of correction, for the completion of
one (1) or more substance abuse programs approved by the
department of correction.
(7) Not more than a total of six (6) months credit, as determined
by the department of correction, for the completion of one (1) or
more literacy and basic life skills programs approved by the
department of correction.
(8) Not more than a total of six (6) months credit time, as
determined by the department of correction, for completion of one
(1) or more reformative programs approved by the department of
correction. However, a person who is serving a sentence for an
offense listed under IC 11-8-8-4.5 may not earn credit time under
this subdivision.
However, a person who does not have a substance abuse problem that
qualifies the person to earn credit in a substance abuse program may
earn not more than a total of twelve (12) months of credit, as
determined by the department of correction, for the completion of one
(1) or more career and technical education programs approved by the
department of correction. If a person earns more than six (6) months of
credit for the completion of one (1) or more career and technical
education programs, the person is ineligible to earn credit for the
completion of one (1) or more substance abuse programs.
(e) Credit time earned by a person under this section is subtracted
from:
(1) the release date that would otherwise apply to the person after
subtracting all other credit time earned by the person, if the
person has not been convicted of an offense described in
IC 11-8-8-5; or
(2) the period of imprisonment imposed on the person by the
sentencing court, if the person has been convicted of one (1) or
more of the offenses described in IC 11-8-8-5.
(f) A person does not earn credit time under subsection (a) unless
the person completes at least a portion of the degree requirements after
June 30, 1993.
(g) A person does not earn credit time under subsection (b) unless
the person completes at least a portion of the program requirements
after June 30, 1999.
(h) Credit time earned by a person under subsection (a) for a
diploma or degree completed before July 1, 1999, shall be subtracted
from:
(1) the release date that would otherwise apply to the person after
subtracting all other credit time earned by the person, if the
person has not been convicted of an offense described in
subdivision (2); or
(2) the period of imprisonment imposed on the person by the
sentencing court, if the person has been convicted of one (1) of
the following crimes:
(A) Rape (IC 35-42-4-1).
(B) Criminal deviate conduct (IC 35-42-4-2).
(C) Child molesting (IC 35-42-4-3).
(D) Child exploitation (IC 35-42-4-4(b)).
(E) Vicarious sexual gratification (IC 35-42-4-5).
(F) Child solicitation (IC 35-42-4-6).
(G) Child seduction (IC 35-42-4-7).
(H) Sexual misconduct with a minor as a Class A felony, Class B felony, or Class C felony (IC 35-42-4-9).
(I) Incest (IC 35-46-1-3).
(J) Sexual battery (IC 35-42-4-8).
(K) Kidnapping (IC 35-42-3-2), if the victim is less than eighteen (18) years of age.
(L) Criminal confinement (IC 35-42-3-3), if the victim is less than eighteen (18) years of age.
(M) An attempt or a conspiracy to commit a crime listed in clauses (A) through (L).
(i) The maximum amount of credit time a person may earn under this section is the lesser of:
(1) four (4) years; or
(2) one-third (1/3) of the person's total applicable credit time.
(j) Credit time earned under this section by an offender serving a sentence for a felony against a person under IC 35-42 or for a crime listed in IC 11-8-8-5 shall be reduced to the extent that application of the credit time would otherwise result in:
(1) postconviction release (as defined in IC 35-40-4-6); or
(2) assignment of the person to a community transition program;
in less than forty-five (45) days after the person earns the credit time.
(k) A person may earn credit time for multiple degrees at the same education level under subsection (d) only in accordance with guidelines approved by the department of correction. The department of correction may approve guidelines for proper sequence of education degrees under subsection (d).
(l) A person may not earn credit time:
(1) for a general educational development (GED) diploma if the person has previously earned a high school diploma; or
(2) for a high school diploma if the person has previously earned a general educational development (GED) diploma.
(m) A person may not earn credit time under this section if the person:
(1) commits an offense listed in IC 11-8-8-4.5 while the person is required to register as a sex or violent offender under IC 11-8-8-7;
and
(2) is committed to the department of correction after being
convicted of the offense listed in IC 11-8-8-4.5.
(n) For a person to earn credit time under subsection (a)(3)(B) for
successfully completing the requirements for a high school diploma
through correspondence courses, each correspondence course must be
approved by the department before the person begins the
correspondence course. The department may approve a correspondence
course only if the entity administering the course is recognized and
accredited by the department of education in the state where the entity
is located.
(o) A person may not earn credit time under subsection
(a)(3)(C) or (a)(3)(D) if the person is committed to the department
of correction after being convicted of an offense listed in
IC 11-8-8-4.5.
