Joint Order, To Amend the Joint Rules To Require Review of a Proposal To Create a New Crime or Enhance an Existing Criminal Penalty

ORDERED, the Senate concurring, that the Joint Rules be amended by adding Joint Rule 319 to read:

Rule 319. Review of provisions creating or enhancing criminal penalties.

Whenever a legislative proposal in a resolve or bill, including a budget bill, enacts a new crime or increases the penalty for an existing crime, the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over the proposal shall hold a public hearing and determine the level of support for the proposal among members of the committee. If there is support for the proposal among a majority of the members of the committee, the committee shall request the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over criminal justice and public safety matters to review and evaluate the proposal for its impact on the criminal justice system. The joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over criminal justice and public safety matters shall conduct the review and report back to the joint standing committee of jurisdiction and to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over appropriations and financial affairs.