SW Riverside News

SACRAMENTO, CA - Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones (R-San Diego) and Senate Public Safety Committee Vice Chair Kelly Seyarto (R-Murrieta) released an analysis of Senate Bill 94 (Cortese), a proposal that seeks to allow inmates sentenced to life without parole for severe crimes to petition for new sentences with the possibility of parole.

“SB 94 could literally let hundreds of the most heinous murderers out of prison early, even if they were sentenced to life WITHOUT parole,” said Leader Jones. “This harsh punishment is reserved for the worst of the worst criminals. They’ve taken people’s lives away and are sentenced to spend the rest of theirs in prison."

Jones emphasized that last year, public outrage halted this bill from progressing. He claimed Democrats are now attempting to pass it in the final weeks of the session with amendments he finds insufficient. “We are exposing the true evils of SB 94 today by publishing our internal Senate Republican analysis of the bill,” continued Leader Jones.

SB 94 would permit violent offenders sentenced to life without parole to seek a new sentence with parole eligibility if they have served at least 25 years and their offense occurred before June 5, 1990. The bill targets those convicted of "special circumstance murder," which includes particularly egregious acts such as torture, poison, lying in wait, rape by instrument, and mayhem.

“The supermajority’s efforts to empty California’s prisons have become entirely too focused on the criminals and forget to consider the victims and their families,” said Senator Seyarto. “It is unacceptable for legislators to show this complete disregard for those who have suffered by re-litigating crimes that have already received a fair trial. This bill sends a terrible message and retraumatizes families of victims who were reassured that the criminals who have done unspeakable things to their loved ones would never be released.”

Last year, Jones highlighted concerns about SB 94 through an Instagram Reel video that garnered over 430,000 views. Today, he released another video updating Californians on what he describes as an attempt by Democrats to push this bill through in the legislative session's final weeks.