Schatz reintroduces compassionate release legislation
Hawaii U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz on Thursday reintroduced legislation that would accelerate the federal Bureau of Prisons’ approval process for compassionate release during a public health emergency.
Schatz’s Emergency GRACE Act also would provide $50 million for state prison systems to increase their facilities’ testing for the novel coronavirus, plus the use of compassionate release and elderly or medical parole.
“People who are eligible for compassionate release are the most vulnerable to public health emergencies like COVID-19, and they are needlessly being put at risk because the process takes too long,” Schatz, a Democrat, said in a statement. “Our bill will help speed up the approval process so that sick and elderly who qualify for compassionate release get it.”
Five of Hawaii’s state-run correctional facilities and Saguaro Correctional Facility, a for-profit prison that houses Hawaii inmates, have had outbreaks during the pandemic. Hawaii Community Correctional Center in Hilo is in the midst of an active outbreak.
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