To require parole boards to take into account the sentencing judge’s recommendation at the time of sentencing

HB 3324 requires West Virginia parole boards to consider a sentencing judge's recommendation for a specific prison term when reviewing cases involving certain serious offenses. The bill applies only when a judge voluntarily recommends a definite sentence during sentencing for offenses listed in the bill, such as violent crimes (e.g., murder, assault), drug trafficking near schools, sexual assaults, or human trafficking. Parole decisions for these cases must now factor in the judge's on-the-record assessment of an appropriate sentence. This change directly affects judges who make recommendations, parole boards, and inmates convicted of the qualifying offenses.