Mississippi § 99-19-13 - Mississippi Sentencing Disparity Task Force; purpose; composition.

§ 99-19-13. Mississippi Sentencing Disparity Task Force; purpose; composition.

There is created theMississippi Sentencing Disparity Task Force. The purpose of the taskforce is to study and report the existence of possible disparity insentencing for crimes as documented by the Mississippi Departmentof Corrections in order to promote the interest of uniform justicethroughout the State of Mississippi. The Mississippi SentencingDisparity Task Force shall be composed of the following fourteen (14)members, who shall serve for two-year terms: Two (2) members of theMississippi House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker ofthe House; Two (2) members of theMississippi State Senate, appointed by the Lieutenant Governor; Two (2) members appointedby the Governor; The Commissioner of theMississippi Department of Corrections, or a designee; The Attorney Generalof the State of Mississippi, or his or her designee; The director of a faith-basedorganization involved in re-entry programs, or a designee appointedby the Lieutenant Governor; The Chief Justice of the Mississippi SupremeCourt, or a designee; The Chairman of the Parole Board, or adesignee; A person who is a former offender appointedby the Chairman of the Parole Board; The President of the Mississippi ProsecutorsAssociation, or a designee; and A sentencing circuit or county court judge,or a designee to be appointed by the Chief Justice of the MississippiSupreme Court. The Chief Justice of the Mississippi SupremeCourt shall call the first meeting of the task force. The task forceshall hold its first meeting no later than thirty (30) days after July 1, 2018. At its first meeting, the task forceshall elect a chairman and vice chairman from its membership and adoptrules for transacting its business and keeping records. The chairmanand vice chairman shall serve one-year terms or until such time asa successor is elected.