Proposed CO bill would raise required time served before parole

DENVER, Colo. (KRDO) -- A new bill introduced to the Colorado legislature would extend the minimum sentence an inmate needs to serve before becoming eligible for parole.

Currently, an inmate must serve 50% of their sentence in general standard cases before they're eligible for parole, according to the Colorado General Assembly. This bill, sponsored by state Representative Matt Soper (R), would increase the time served to 75% before becoming eligible for parole.

That increase would affect inmates doing time for class 2 felonies through class 6, level 1 drug felonies through level 4, or any unclassified felony.

But, for inmates doing time for specific convictions and sentences, the minimum time served would increase from 75% to 80% before parole eligibility.

For the bill's full text, see here.