SB 240 requires the state's Department of Corrections to provide telephone or video conference systems enabling inmates to participate remotely in their parole hearings. This bill directly affects incarcerated individuals seeking parole by allowing them to attend hearings via approved communication methods without needing to be physically present. The law mandates that the communication system must permit real-time interaction between inmates and parole board members during hearings. The bill becomes effective on March 1, 2027, after implementation by the Department of Corrections and parole board.
SB 254 modifies Alabama's parole revocation process for individuals convicted of specific serious offenses (like violent crimes, sex offenses, or firearm violations). It replaces automatic parole revocation for these cases with board discretion to consider the full circumstances of a violation and choose appropriate sanctions, rather than mandating prison time. The bill also allows the parole board to reinstate parole immediately if new criminal charges leading to revocation are dismissed, resolved as a misdemeanor, or result in an acquittal. This change directly affects parolees convicted of the enumerated offenses who face new charges or violations, shifting decision-making from automatic penalties to case-by-case review.
SB 60 requires Alabama's Department of Corrections (DOC) to check for active arrest warrants against inmates at key stages: during intake, when considering work release, before parole board review, and 90 days before sentence completion. It also mandates the Board of Pardons and Paroles to check warrants when reviewing parole eligibility. If a warrant is found, the DOC must notify courts or prosecutors and arrange virtual court hearings for inmates (avoiding physical transport), per existing law. The bill directly affects inmates, DOC staff, parole boards, and law enforcement agencies. It becomes effective January 1, 2027.
HB 70 allows certain defendants convicted of capital murder before June 1, 2026, to seek resentencing if a jury previously recommended life without parole but a judge overruled that recommendation to impose a death sentence. The bill requires courts to resentence eligible defendants under current law (which follows jury recommendations) if they meet specific criteria: the sentence was imposed under pre-April 2017 law, the jury advised life without parole, and the judge overruled that advice. Petitions for resentencing must be filed with the original sentencing court and are free of filing fees. The bill repeals an existing resentencing provision and takes effect October 1, 2026. It directly affects capital murder defendants whose sentences were altered via judicial override before the specified date.
HB 86 revises Alabama's parole guidelines to require the Board of Pardons and Paroles to give special attention to three specific factors when considering parole: an inmate's low risk of reoffending (based on a validated assessment), their employment during incarceration, and education completed while in prison. The bill also mandates that the board consider other factors in its guidelines and provide written reasons for all parole decisions. This change directly affects inmates seeking parole and the board's decision-making process, though the board retains full discretion to approve or deny parole. The revised guidelines must be reviewed every three years and posted online for public access.
HB 54, the Alabama Women's Childbirth Alternatives, Resources, and Education (CARE) Act, allows pregnant women sentenced to jail to serve probation before incarceration instead of being jailed immediately. It requires jails to offer pregnancy testing within three days of intake, releases pregnant women on probation (with electronic supervision and no fines) if they pose no threat, and mandates they serve probation through 12 weeks after birth. The bill requires women to self-surrender to jail 12 weeks after giving birth, with failure to do so classified as a Class A misdemeanor. This directly affects pregnant women in Alabama facing incarceration sentences, changing their path to jail from immediate admission to supervised probation during pregnancy and postpartum.
