HB424 Alabama 2011 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Mike Jones

Republican

Co-Sponsor

Paul Beckman

Session

Regular Session 2011

Title

Prisoners, escaped inmates, notification of state and local agencies and news media, liability limited, Joel Willmore Act, Sec. 14-3-58 am'd.

Summary

This bill requires broader, faster notification and public alerts when a convict escapes.

What This Bill Does

If enacted, the Department of Corrections must notify multiple state and local agencies within 12 hours of an escape, including the Governor, Department of Public Safety, and the sheriffs and police chiefs in the areas involved (escape location, last conviction location, and home of record). It also requires notifying all electronic media within 75 miles and posting the alert on the department’s website. Additionally, the Director of Central Records must enter the escape into the National Crime Information Center within 12 hours, and the bill allows a reward of up to $400 for recapture funded by convict labor proceeds, payable only after a certificate of recapture is filed with the Department of Finance.

Who It Affects

• Escaped convicts: triggers rapid, expanded notification, public alerts, and potential eligibility for a reward, plus mandatory NCIC entry.
• State and local agencies and news media: receive and disseminate alerts (and public notices) within specified areas and timelines, and support enforcement efforts.

Key Provisions

• Designates the act as the 'Joel Willmore Act' and amends Section 14-3-58, Code of Alabama 1975.
• Within 12 hours of an escape, requires notification to: Governor; Department of Public Safety; the sheriff of the escape county; the chief of police of the municipality where the escape occurred; the sheriff of the county of the convict's last conviction; the chief of police of that municipality; the sheriff of the convict's home-of-record county; and the chief of police of that home-of-record municipality.
• Requires notification to all electronic media outlets broadcasting within 75 miles of the escape location.
• Requires posting of the escape alert on the Department of Corrections website with details including time, circumstances, convict description, mug shot, county of conviction, offense, and time of conviction.
• Directs the Director of Central Records to enter the convict into the National Crime Information Center within 12 hours of escape.
• Authorizes a reward up to $400 for recapture, funded from convict labor proceeds, payable only after the board files a certificate of recapture with the Department of Finance.
• Effective date: becomes law on the first day of the third month after passage and approval.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Prisons and Prisoners