A. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law to the contrary, the secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections may release to intensive parole supervision any person sentenced pursuant to La. Rev. Stat. 15:529.1 and denied eligibility for diminution of sentence when the offender meets the requirements of this Section and of any rules or regulations adopted by the secretary in accordance with the provisions of this Section.

            B. The secretary may release offenders pursuant to the provisions of this Section only if all of the following conditions exist:

            (1) The offender has no convictions for a crime of violence as defined in La. Rev. Stat. 14:2(B) or a sex offense as defined in La. Rev. Stat. 15:541.

            (2) The offender is within six months of his projected release date.

            (3) The offender has not committed any major disciplinary offenses in the twelve consecutive months prior to release.

            (4) The offender has completed the mandatory minimum of one hundred hours of prerelease programming in accordance with La. Rev. Stat. 15:827.1.

            (5) The offender has completed substance abuse treatment as applicable.

            (6) The offender has obtained a high school equivalency diploma, unless the offender has previously obtained a high school diploma or is deemed by a certified educator as being incapable of obtaining a high school equivalency diploma due to a learning disability. If the offender is deemed incapable of obtaining a high school equivalency diploma, the offender shall complete at least one of the following:

            (a) A literacy program.

            (b) An adult basic education or general education development program.

            (c) A job skills program.

            (7) The offender has obtained a low-risk level designation determined by a validated risk assessment instrument approved by the secretary.

            (8) The offender has completed a reentry program to be determined by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections.

            Acts 2014, No. 191, §1; Acts 2019, No. 369, §2.