H. B. 3057

(By Delegate Hubbard)
[Introduced March 29, 2001; referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary.]

A BILL to amend article eight, chapter seven of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated section fourteen, relating to allowing the accumulation of good time for misdemeanants serving sentences in jails, for certain academic achievements.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That article eight, chapter seven of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated section fourteen, to read as follows:

ARTICLE 8. JAIL AND JAILER.

§7-8-14. Good time in jails.
(a) An individual confined in a county or regional jail due to a misdemeanor conviction, in addition to any other good time provided by this code and after serving at least thirty days of the individual's sentence, may have deducted from the remainder of the individual's sentence:
(1) Ten days for obtaining a high school diploma or general educational development certificate;
(2) Five days for completing a life skills program; and
(3) For an individual with a reading level below ninth grade, three days for completion of a federal functioning level.
(b) Good time accumulated under this section may not exceed twenty-five percent of the individual's sentence, excluding any other good time earned under any other provision of this code.
(c) The state board of education shall develop and implement a procedure to certify to the appropriate confining authority when an individual is eligible for good time under this section.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to allow the accumulation of good time for misdemeanants serving sentences in jails, for certain academic achievements.

This section is new; therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.