House Passes Parole Decision Time Limit
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- The House of Delegates has passed a bill that would limit how long the governor of Maryland could take to decide parole for an inmate sentenced to life in prison.
The bill approved Friday requires the governor to make a decision within 180 days, if the state parole commission has
recommended someone be paroled. If the governor fails to act in that time, the inmate would be released.
The measure now goes to Gov. Martin O'Malley. A spokesman has said he would sign a bill limiting how long a governor could take on the issue. It does not apply to commutations.
Supporters of the measure have criticized O'Malley for never acting on parole recommendations for people with life sentences.
The measure would affect seven inmates.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
