COLUMBUS, Ohio -- What is bound to be a controversial Ohio Senate Bill was debated at the Ohio Statehouse Tuesday. It could mean the release of many of the state's inmates.
Senate Bill 22 is meant to save Ohio's prison system $25 million each year.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of prisoners could potentially be released early.
The bill would increase felony theft from $500 to $1,000.
Most people who do not pay child support would no longer be sent to prison.
It would increase earned credit that inmates get for enrolling in various prison programs from one day per month to five days per month, meaning that they could be released earlier if they followed all the rules.
It would also allow the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction to try to get an inmate released after serving 85 percent of their sentence.
It would sentence drug treatment instead of prison time for second-time offender. Currently, it's just for first-time offenders.
It would also eliminate the distinction between crack and powdered cocaine, which has been criticized as unfairly targeting minorities.
"Actually, I think it's smart on crime," said Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Director Terry Collins.
Collins said some of Ohio's prisons are 200 percent over capacity.
Cincinnati-area Republican State Sen. Bill Seitz is the sponsor of the bill.
"Our prison system currently houses about 52,000 people and was built to only house 36,000, so therefore we need to pursue smart on crime strategies such as are in this bill. That will not only relieve that overcrowding, but do so in a way that gives these folks the education and job training they need," Seitz said.
Violent and most repeat offenders would not be eligible for early release.
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