Gov. Haley Barbour has signed a bill that would make thousands of nonviolent offenders eligible for parole.

Mississippi’s inmate population experienced enormous growth after the “truth-in-sentencing” laws were enacted in 1994.

The parole eligibility bill would allow nonviolent offenders convicted after June 30, 1995, to be eligible for parole after serving a portion of their time. The bill also covers nonviolent offenders convicted of possessing small amounts of drugs.

The bill became law Monday when Barbour signed it.

The bill is Senate Bill 2136.