Seeking to draw lessons from the Jaycee Dugard case, State Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla, D-Concord, has co-authored a bill to broaden the information the state parole board can consider when evaluating whether to release an inmate.
She will speak alongside Sen. Ted Gaines, R—Roseville, and Assemblywoman Alyson Huber, D-El Dorado Hills, in Sacramento at a Wednesday morning news conference announcing the bill, the "Parole Reform Act of 2011."
Right now, the parole board can only consider an inmate's behavior while in prison when deciding whether to parole him, Bonilla said.
The bill would allow the parole board to consider the type of offense the inmate was convicted of, as well as any prior convictions. It would also require the inmate to produce proof that he or she is ready for parole, as opposed to placing that burden on the parole board, as is currently the case, she said.
The changes would let the parole board make better decisions, she said.
"They need to be able to exercise every possible degree of discretion," Bonilla said.
Even though Phillip Garrido was released on federal -- not California -- parole, his ability to escape detection brought the problems in the system to light, Bonilla said.
"While this bill specifically would not have prevented Garrido's release on parole, what we're saying is there's something that has come to light that we can correct," Bonilla said.
"The system needs to be changed, and it can be changed."