{"id":2134005,"date":"2023-12-26T17:05:02","date_gmt":"2023-12-26T22:05:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/washington-lawmaker-ex-convict-presents-bill-allowing-judges-to-shorten-sentences-for-felons\/"},"modified":"2023-12-26T17:07:39","modified_gmt":"2023-12-26T22:07:39","slug":"washington-lawmaker-ex-convict-presents-bill-allowing-judges-to-shorten-sentences-for-felons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/washington-lawmaker-ex-convict-presents-bill-allowing-judges-to-shorten-sentences-for-felons\/","title":{"rendered":"Ex-congressman proposes bill granting judges power to reduce felon sentences"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwashington-lawmaker-ex-convict-presents-bill-allowing-judges-to-shorten-sentences-for-felons%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2134005&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p><!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by \u2064Spencer Platt\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>OAN\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oann.com\/tag\/james-meyers\">James\u2062 Meyers<\/a><br \/>1:55 PM \u2013 Tuesday, December 26, 2023<\/p>\n<p>A Washington state lawmaker who is also an ex-convict is advocating for a new law \u2063that would give judges the power to reduce the sentences of violent offenders. <\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1663871513696-art-3\" style=\"min-width: 320px; min-height: 50px; text-align: center;\">  \t<script>  \t\tgoogletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1663871513696-art-3'); });  \t<\/script>  <\/div>\n<div class=\"ad-slot__ad-label\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<p>The Judicial Discretion Act, which has been pre-filed \u200cfor the next session of the Washington legislature, is being \u2063championed by Democrat state Representative Tarra Simmons. <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>Simmons, a former convicted felon, stated that the bill would &#8220;authorize sentencing courts to review\u2064 lengthy sentences upon a showing that a person&#8217;s original sentence no longer serves \u2062the\u200c interests of justice.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The state lawmaker has a history of advocating for voting rights for felons and reducing penalties for drive-by shootings, attributing these efforts to \u2062a lack of &#8220;racial equity.&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote data-service=\"twitter\" data-category=\"marketing\" data-placeholder-image=\"https:\/\/c3.oann.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/complianz-gdpr\/assets\/images\/placeholders\/twitter-minimal.jpg\" class=\"cmplz-placeholder-element twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">2023 YTD Total: 372<br \/>2023\u200d Fatal Police Incidnets:\u200c 22<br \/>2022 Total: 394<br \/>2022 Fatal Police Incidents: 43<br \/>5 Year Average: 288<br \/>Record High:\u2064 394 \u2064in 2022<br \/>Leading Cities:<br \/>Seattle- 72<br \/>Tacoma- 31<br \/>Spokane- 20<br \/>Kent- 16<br \/>Yakima- 12<br \/>Federal Way- 11<br \/>Everett- 10<br \/>Kennewick- 8<br \/>Vancouver- 8<\/p>\n<p>\u2014\u2064 Washington State Homicide (@WAStateHomicide) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WAStateHomicide\/status\/1738960910897852447?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 24, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-service=\"twitter\" data-category=\"marketing\" async data-cmplz-src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>Despite the alarming crime and homicide rates in \u200dWashington,\u200c &#8220;The legislature\u200d finds that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/harvey-weinstein-will-be-extradited-to-california-to-stand-trial-on-sex-assault-charges\/\" title=\"Harvey Weinstein Will Be Extradited To California To Stand Trial On Sex Assault Charges\">long-term incarceration<\/a> disproportionately impacts poor communities and \u200dcommunities of color. The legislature further finds that an expansive body of research demonstrates \u2064that lengthy sentences can increase, rather than reduce, recidivism.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>&#8220;The legislature \u200cfurther finds that the potential to reduce a sentence encourages\u200c incarcerated individuals to engage in good behavior\u2062 and to take advantage of rehabilitative programming. The\u2063 legislature further finds\u200d that because the cost of long-term incarceration is substantial and \u2062the state must use its \u2064resources responsibly, providing judges the opportunity to modify lengthy\u200c sentences \u2062in the interests of justice will result in significant cost savings\u200b to the state.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>In \u200caddition, the bill allows a judge to modify a criminal&#8217;s &#8220;original sentence if the court finds that \u2062the\u200b sentence\u2064 no \u200blonger advances the interests of justice, provided that any new sentence imposed \u200bshall not be \u2062greater than the original sentence.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>For victims\u200c affected by the crime, Simmons assures that they \u2064have \u2064the option to &#8220;present a statement personally or by representation at the hearing&#8221; of\u200b a convict whose sentence is under review.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote data-service=\"twitter\" data-category=\"marketing\" data-placeholder-image=\"https:\/\/c3.oann.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/complianz-gdpr\/assets\/images\/placeholders\/twitter-minimal.jpg\" class=\"cmplz-placeholder-element twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">It only took 10 years after prison. I did 22 years on \u200cthe installment plan of the \u200ccomplex web of juv. system, foster care, \u2064jail and prison. Now I&#8217;m a mother, lawyer and 1st formerly \u200dincarcerated  State Rep. Quit throwing\u2064 away my people! Still celebrating freedom 10 years later. \u200d <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/dvCXjK5j2c\">pic.twitter.com\/dvCXjK5j2c<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Tarra Simmons\u200d (@TarraSimmons5) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TarraSimmons5\/status\/1660665459103125504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 22, \u20642023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-service=\"twitter\" data-category=\"marketing\" async data-cmplz-src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly \u200bto your inbox for free. Subscribe here. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oann.com\/alerts\">https:\/\/www.oann.com\/alerts<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"rc-widget-10bad2\" data-rc-widget data-widget-host=\"habitat\" data-endpoint=\"\/\/trends.revcontent.com\" data-widget-id=\"278641\"><\/div>\n<p class=\"dpsp-share-text\" style=\"margin-bottom:10px\"> \t\t \t\t\u200b \t\tShare\u200c this\u200b post!\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>The U.S. forms a coalition to combat Houthi attacks on shipping in\u200c the Red\u2062 Sea,\u200c facing some\u2063 resistance from the international community.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>A shocking video captures\u200b North Dakota \u2064Representative Nico Rios\u2063 making offensive remarks to an officer during a DUI arrest.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>The\u200d year 2023 \u2064has been a whirlwind in American\u2063 politics, revolving around one man: Donald Trump.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>Several \u200bstates will have high-profile referenda during the 2024 elections.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>December 22, 2023 \u2013 6:05 AM PST HONG KONG (Reuters) \u2013 Chinese\u2062 regulators announced on Friday a wide range of rules aimed\u2026 <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>One of \u200dTesla&#8217;s main\u200d challenges is the speed at which it can produce the 4680 batteries used in the Cybertruck with its new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/navy-vet-defends-beheading-satanic-statue\/\" title=\"Navy vet supports beheading Satanic statue\">dry-coating technology<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>A group of 11 nonfiction authors has filed a lawsuit in Manhattan federal court accusing OpenAI and\u200d Microsoft\u2063 of misusing\u2062 their books to\u200c train AI\u200b models.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>San Francisco police Sergeant David Radford contacted Tesla regarding data on\u2062 an alleged stalker&#8217;s remote \u2064access to a vehicle.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> rnrn  <\/p>\n<h2> What is the purpose of the Judicial Discretion\u2064 Act advocated by Washington state \u2063lawmaker\u2062 Tarra Simmons?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Washington State Lawmaker Advocates for New Law to Reduce Sentences for Violent Offenders<\/p>\n<p>(Photo by Spencer Platt\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<p>OAN&#8217;s James Meyers<\/p>\n<p>1:55 \u2062PM \u2013 Tuesday, December 26, 2023<\/p>\n<p>A Washington state lawmaker who\u2064 is also an ex-convict is advocating for a \u2064new law that would give judges the\u200b power to reduce the sentences of violent offenders.<\/p>\n<p>The Judicial \u200dDiscretion Act, which\u200c has been\u2064 pre-filed for\u200d the next session of\u200c the Washington legislature, is being \u200bchampioned by\u200d Democrat state Representative Tarra Simmons.<\/p>\n<p>Simmons, a former\u2063 convicted felon, stated that the bill would &#8220;authorize sentencing courts to review\u2064 lengthy sentences upon a showing that\u200c a person&#8217;s \u2064original sentence no longer serves \u2062the interests of \u200djustice.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The state lawmaker \u2063has a history of advocating for voting rights for felons and \u2063reducing penalties for \u200cdrive-by \u200dshootings, attributing these efforts to \u200c\u2062a\u200d lack of &#8220;racial\u2062 equity.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Despite the\u2064 alarming crime and homicide rates in\u2062 Washington, &#8220;The \u200blegislature\u200d \u2062finds that long-term incarceration disproportionately \u2062impacts poor communities and \u200dcommunities of\u200b color. The legislature further finds that an expansive body of \u200bresearch demonstrates \u200b\u2064 that lengthy sentences can increase, rather than reduce, recidivism.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The legislature \u200cfurther finds that the potential to\u200c reduce \u200ca\u200c sentence encourages\u200c incarcerated individuals to engage in good behavior\u2062 and to take advantage of\u200b rehabilitative programming. The\u2063 legislature further finds\u200d that because the cost of long-term incarceration is substantial and \u2062the state must use its \u2064resources responsibly, providing judges the opportunity\u2062 to modify lengthy\u200c sentences \u2062in the interests of justice\u200c will result\u2064 in significant cost savings to the \u200bstate.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>In \u200c\u200caddition, the bill allows a judge to modify a criminal&#8217;s &#8220;original sentence if the \u2063court finds that\u2062 \u2062the\u200b sentence\u2064 no \u200blonger \u200cadvances the interests of justice, provided that any new sentence imposed \u2062\u200bshall not be \u2062greater than\u200b the original sentence.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>For victims\u200c affected by the \u2062crime, Simmons\u2063 assures\u200b that they \u2064have \u2064the option to &#8220;present a statement personally or\u2063 by representation at the hearing&#8221; of\u200b a \u200cconvict whose sentence \u200cis under review.<\/p>\n<p>It only took 10 years after prison. I did 22 years on \u200cthe\u200c installment plan of\u2062 the \u200ccomplex web of juv. system, foster care, \u2064jail and prison. Now I&#8217;m a mother, lawyer, and 1st formerly incarcerated State\u2062 Rep. Quit throwing\u2064 away my people! Still celebrating freedom 10\u2063 years later. \u200d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Washington state lawmaker and former convict proposes a law allowing judges to lessen sentences for violent offenders. The Judicial Discretion Act has been pre-filed for the upcoming session<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2301,"featured_media":2134006,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[542],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2134005","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-oann"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2134005","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2301"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2134005"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2134005\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2134006"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2134005"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2134005"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2134005"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}