Senate panel rejects proposed caregiver sentencing reform
Feb. 1—CONCORD — A state Senate committee voted unanimously this week to recommend killing legislation (SB 254) to provide non-prison alternatives for the primary caregiver of a dependent.
State Sen. Rebecca Perkins Kwoka, D-Portsmouth, and the bill's prime sponsor, asked that her bill die so she could work on a compromise proposal.
"This would allow the time needed to have these stakeholders get together to have the nuanced discussion that this topic requires," Perkins Kwoka told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.
Perkins Kwoka said offering this sentencing alternative to "non-violent offenders" is a "topic worth exploring."
"The intention of this bill first and foremost was to address the impact of incarceration on children and families," she said.
The New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence and the state Department of Justice had opposed the bill.
The national Freeher Campaign promoted this legislation to change sentencing laws in the six New England states.
"These six states have the lowest incarceration populations of women in the country and we are working with local formerly incarcerated women leaders and our volunteer base, People Not Prisons, to de-carcerate, decriminalize, and close the women's prisons in the states," the campaign said.
Associate Attorney General Jeff Strelzin said over the past nine years incarceration of inmates in state prison has dropped 30%.
Over that time 135 women were put in prison and women were 7% of all inmates, he said.
"It is apparent from the numbers that New Hampshire doesn't have a problem with what is called mass incarceration," Strelzin said.
State laws already gives a judge complete discretion to adjust the terms of a sentence based on a variety of factors including whether the offender has dependent children living at home, he said.
"There really is no need for this bill to go this additional route," Strelzin said.
Lyn Scholett, executive director of the coalition, said she looked forward to working with Perkins Kwoka on the issue.
