PROVIDENCE – Gov. Lincoln D. Chafee this month signed into law the Jason Foreman Act, which prohibits those convicted of certain crimes, including murder, attempted murder, kidnapping of a minor and first-degree sexual assault, from earning credits toward early release for good behavior.

The act will take effect on July 1 and will apply to all earned time not awarded or otherwise credited to a prisoner’s sentence on or before that date.

“I greatly admire the strength of the victims and families who came forward to share their stories of grief and tragedy in this fight to keep this issue at the forefront of the legislature’s agenda,” said Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin, who proposed the change in law.

Kilmartin submitted his original “Time off for Good Behavior” legislation in 2011, in response to the early release of Michael Woodmansee, who had nearly 12 years shaved off his sentence by good-behavior credits.

Woodmansee was convicted of killing 5-year-old Jason Foreman in 1975 in South Kingstown. •