BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has vetoed a bill that he calls a rollback of the state's 2017 prison reform efforts.
The measure would have forced prisoners convicted of four or more non-violent offenses to serve more time before they could earn early release for good behavior or become eligible for parole.
In his Tuesday veto message, Edwards said the 2017 reforms that led to earlier releases of non-violent offenders enabled the state to fund programs aimed at reducing returns to prison.
In a committee hearing during the legislative session, the bill's author argued that repeat offenders are getting out of prison before they can take advantage of such programs.
------------------------------------------------------------
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
To reach the newsroom or report a typo/correction, click HERE.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. Select from these options: Breaking News, Evening News Headlines, Latest COVID-19 Headlines, Morning News Headlines, Special Offers
