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<section article="gcs" article_name="Correctional Services" number="7-306" title_number="7" title_name="Parole, Release on Mandatory Supervision, and Executive Clemency" subtitle_number="3" subtitle_name="Eligibility for Parole; Parole Hearings">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The chairperson of the Commission shall assign hearing examiners, or commissioners acting as hearing examiners, as required to hear cases for parole.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Each proceeding before a hearing examiner shall be conducted in accordance with this section.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The Commission shall keep a record of each hearing conducted by a hearing examiner.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>A hearing examiner shall determine if an incarcerated individual is suitable for parole in accordance with the factors and other information specified in § 7–305 of this subtitle.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>At the conclusion of the hearing, the hearing examiner shall inform the incarcerated individual of the hearing examiner’s recommendation for parole or denial of parole.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Within 14 days after the hearing, the hearing examiner shall give to the Commission, the Commissioner of Correction, and the incarcerated individual a written report of the hearing examiner’s findings and recommendation for parole or denial of parole, including the reasoning and justifications for the recommendation.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The Commissioner of Correction or the incarcerated individual may file with the Commission written exceptions to the report of a hearing examiner no later than 30 days after the report is received.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, one commissioner assigned by the chairperson of the Commission shall review summarily the recommendation of the hearing examiner.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>The Commission, on its own initiative or on the filing of an exception, may schedule a hearing on the record by the entire Commission or by a panel of at least two commissioners assigned by the chairperson of the Commission.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The Commission or panel shall render a written decision on the appeal.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>The decision of the Commission or panel is final.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>If an exception is not filed and the Commission does not act on its own initiative within the 30–day appeal period established under subsection (d)(3) of this section, the recommendation of the hearing examiner is approved.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <level label="i">
        <text>The Commission shall promptly give the incarcerated individual written notice of its final decision under this section.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>If the Commission’s final decision under this section is to deny parole, the notice required under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph shall include the date of the incarcerated individual’s next parole hearing, in accordance with § 7–307.1 of this subtitle.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
