HB259 Alabama 2011 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Greg Wren

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2011

Title

Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center Commission and the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center, members, operation, powers, duties, fees, information relating to homeland security, crime of misuse of ACJIC information established, Statistical Analysis Center established, National Crime Prevention and Privacy Compact ratified and implemented, Secs. 41-9-590, 41-9-591, 41-9-592, 41-9-594, 41-9-595, 41-9-597, 41-9-600, 41-9-601, 41-9-621, 41-9-622, 41-9-623, 41-9-625, 41-9-630 am'd.

Summary

HB259 would reorganize Alabama’s Criminal Justice Information Center, add background-check rules and fees, create a misuse-of-ACJIC-data crime, establish a Statistical Analysis Center, and ratify a national privacy compact.

What This Bill Does

It creates the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center Commission and the ACJIC Center to manage information for criminal justice, homeland security, and emergency response. It authorizes charging fees for noncriminal background checks, allows licensing boards to require background checks by rule, and lets local governments contract with ACJIC for checks with fees. It creates the crime of misuse of ACJIC information with penalties and ratifies the National Crime Prevention and Privacy Compact, designating a compact officer to administer it. It also establishes the Alabama Statistical Analysis Center to publish crime statistics and support research, and sets privacy and security safeguards for data access and sharing.

Who It Affects

• Licensing or permitting agencies and boards, and the people applying for licenses or permits: may require criminal background checks by rule and could be charged fees for those checks; may contract with ACJIC for background checks.
• Alabama residents whose criminal history information is stored or accessed by ACJIC (and the law enforcement, emergency response, and other agencies that use ACJIC data): subject to background checks and data sharing under ACJIC rules, with privacy protections and penalties for misuse.

Key Provisions

• Creates the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center Commission and the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center (ACJIC), designates its roles, and establishes its authority to manage information for criminal justice, homeland security, and emergency response.
• Authorizes ACJIC to charge fees for noncriminal background checks, establish a fee schedule, and deposit fee proceeds into a state fund to support ACJIC operations; allows direct contracting for background checks by local governments with cost rules.
• Creates the crime of misuse of ACJIC information with penalties (Class B felony for misuse of records; fines and possible imprisonment; separate offenses for each record).
• Ratifies and implements the National Crime Prevention and Privacy Compact, appoints a compact officer to administer it, and allows interstate sharing of criminal history information for noncriminal purposes; licenses/background checks may be required by rule for licensing/permits.
• Establishes the Alabama Statistical Analysis Center within ACJIC to collect and publish crime statistics (without identifying individuals) and to support research and development in information sharing and technology; requires privacy and security safeguards for data.
• Sets privacy and security standards, creates a Privacy and Security Committee, and authorizes suspension of access or other measures if misuse is investigated; designates peace officers with statewide authority to enforce ACJIC laws.
• Allows ACJIC to provide certain criminal history information for noncriminal purposes (e.g., name changes, adoptions) and to share data with law enforcement and relevant agencies; requires fingerprinting and identification records submission for arrestees and other designated individuals.
• States that this act is exempt from local funding referendum requirements for new expenditures under Amendment 621 because it defines a new crime or amends an existing one; effective date is the first day of the third month after passage.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 25, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Criminal Justice Information Center