143B-720. Post-Release Supervision and Parole Commission - creation, powers and duties.

(a) There is hereby created a Post-Release Supervision and Parole Commission of the Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice of the Department of Public Safety with the authority to grant paroles, including both regular and temporary paroles, to persons held by virtue of any final order or judgment of any court of this State as provided in Chapter 148 of the General Statutes and laws of the State of North Carolina, except that persons sentenced under Article 81B of Chapter 15A of the General Statutes are not eligible for parole but may be conditionally released into the custody and control of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement pursuant to G.S. 148-64.1. The Commission shall also have authority to revoke, terminate, and suspend paroles of such persons (including persons placed on parole on or before the effective date of the Executive Organization Act of 1973) and to assist the Governor in exercising his authority in granting reprieves, commutations, and pardons, and shall perform such other services as may be required by the Governor in exercising his powers of executive clemency. The Commission shall also have authority to revoke and terminate persons on post-release supervision, as provided in Article 84A of Chapter 15A of the General Statutes. The Commission shall also have the authority to punish for criminal contempt for willful refusal to accept post-release supervision or to comply with the terms of post-release supervision by a prisoner whose offense requiring post-release supervision is a reportable conviction subject to the registration requirement of Article 27A of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes. Any contempt proceeding conducted by the Commission shall be in accordance with G.S. 5A-15 as if the Commission were a judicial official.

(b) All releasing authority previously resting in the Commissioner and Commission of Correction with the exception of authority for extension of the limits of the place of confinement of a prisoner contained in G.S. 148-4 is hereby transferred to the Post-Release Supervision and Parole Commission. Specifically, such releasing authority includes work release (G.S. 148-33.1), indeterminate-sentence release (G.S. 148-42), and release of youthful offenders (G.S. 148-49.8), provided the individual considered for work release or indeterminate-sentence release shall have been recommended for release by the Secretary of Public Safety or his designee. No recommendation for release is required for conditional release pursuant to G.S. 148-64.1.

(c) The Commission is authorized and empowered to adopt such rules and regulations, not inconsistent with the laws of this State, in accordance with which prisoners eligible for parole consideration may have their cases reviewed and investigated and by which such proceedings may be initiated and considered. All rules and regulations heretofore adopted by the Board of Paroles shall remain in full force and effect unless and until repealed or superseded by action of the Post-Release Supervision and Parole Commission. All rules and regulations adopted by the Commission shall be enforced by the Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice of the Department of Public Safety.

(d) The Commission is authorized and empowered to impose as a condition of parole or post-release supervision that restitution or reparation be made by the prisoner in accordance with the provisions of G.S. 148-57.1. The Commission is further authorized and empowered to make restitution or reparation a condition of work release in accordance with the provisions of G.S. 148-33.2.

(e) The Commission may accept and review requests from persons placed on probation, parole, or post-release supervision to terminate a mandatory condition of satellite-based monitoring as provided by G.S. 14-208.43. The Commission may grant or deny those requests in compliance with G.S. 14-208.43.

(f) The Commission may conduct the following proceedings by videoconference:

(1) All hearings regarding violation of conditions of post-release supervision and all hearings regarding violation of conditions of parole.

(2) All hearings regarding criminal contempt for willful refusal to accept post-release supervision or comply with the terms of post-release supervision by a prisoner whose offense requiring post-release supervision is a reportable conviction subject to the registration requirement of Article 27A of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes.

(g) A hearing officer may conduct the following proceedings by videoconference:

(1) Preliminary hearings regarding violation of conditions of post-release supervision.

(2) Preliminary hearings regarding violation of conditions of parole.