Davis supports Senate sentencing reforms added to FIRST STEP Act

U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL), who this spring voted to approve the U.S. House version of the FIRST STEP Act, a bill aimed at improving the criminal justice system, said he supports the additional sentencing reforms the U.S. Senate included in its version of the bipartisan bill.

Both versions of the FIRST STEP Act, which stands for the Formerly Incarcerated Reenter Society Transformed Safely Transitioning Every Person Act, H.R. 5682/S. 2795, were introduced in each chamber on May 7. The sweeping reform bills would provide for programs to help reduce the risk that prisoners will recidivate upon release from prison, among other purposes, according to the text of the measure in the congressional record.

The House on May 22 passed H.R. 5682 on a 360-59 vote and sent it to the Senate on May 23. Both versions now are under consideration by the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. The House bill is cosponsored by U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) cosponsored the Senate bill.

H.R. 5682, according to Davis, doesn’t include the sentencing reform provisions proposed by the Senate. The bill is focused on prison reform and programs to reduce recidivism rates, he said, and would offer myriad programs to inmates, such as those for vocational training, substance abuse treatment, mental health care, and anger-management courses, among others.

Meanwhile, S. 2795 would add sentencing reform provisions, including those to reduce the enhanced penalties for certain non-violent repeat drug offenders, according to a summary provided by Rep. Davis’ office.

S. 2795 also would eliminate the three-strike mandatory life provision and would permit certain nonviolent offenders to petition courts for a review of their sentence, according to the summary.

“Sentencing reforms are long overdue and I am fully supportive of the bipartisan changes made by the Senate bill,” Rep. Davis said on Nov. 16. “These reforms will create a fairer justice system by reducing mandatory minimums for certain non-violent drug crimes and providing judges more discretion.”

Such changes also have garnered support from the Fraternal Order of Police, which earlier this month said the bill would make America’s “streets and neighborhoods safer.”

“We have an opportunity to positively impact millions of lives with these reforms and I hope we can get this bipartisan bill across the finish line,” said Rep. Davis.