Lawmakers review proposed parole guidelines and prison progress
The Joint Prison Committee met for its quarterly meeting to discuss updates ahead of a public hearing at the end of July.
Rep. Jim Hill
Speedy Trial Act passes House and Senate committees
Approved by both the House and Senate Judiciary committees, the legislation would allow the appointment of visiting judges.
Will the Legislature address prison overcrowding before session’s end?
Rep. Jim Hill's bill which would give judges more discretion in sentencing faces an uphill climb in the state Senate.
State Rep. Hill files bill to split session in two
Hill’s bill would shorten the spring session, then lawmakers would then reconvene in Montgomery in September.
Alabama House approves bill expanding early release, supervision of inmates
Rep. Jim Hill's bill makes retroactive a 2015 law that mandates early release and supervision for some.
Rioting bill delayed after concerns it could stifle free speech
Rep. Chris England was concerned that the new definition of a riot would result in the arrest of peaceful protestors and harsher penalties.
Alabama House passes several criminal justice-related bills
The bills address community corrections, judicial discretion in sentencing and the cost of housing state inmates in county jails.
Two bills would expand community corrections, enhance specialized courts
St. Clair County's drug and veterans courts have a combined 96 percent success rate at preventing recidivism.
Alabama House Judiciary Chairman Jim Hill says a “multi-prong” approach needed on prisons
There is a general belief among lawmakers that Gov. Kay Ivey will call a Special Legislative Session sometime in the fall to address the state’s failed prisons. The real need, as many see, is not just building new facilities but also enacting sweeping justice reforms that impact the front end of the prison system. House … Continued
Juvenile Justice Reform Task Force releases recommendations
By Brandon Moseley Alabama Political Reporter Monday, the Alabama Juvenile Justice Task Force delivered a set of policy recommendations to Gov. Kay Ivey and other state leaders aimed at protecting public safety, holding youthful offenders accountable, controlling costs and improving outcomes for youth, families and communities. The recommendations to help get troubled children back on … Continued