HB31 Alabama 2012 1st Special Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Mike Jones

Republican

Session

First Special Session 2012

Title

Lurleen B. Wallace Community College Foundation, ad valorem tax exempt

Summary

Expands Alabama's inmate-escape alerts to include more agencies, media, and public by requiring faster, broader notifications and online posting, plus a small reward for apprehension.

What This Bill Does

If passed, it changes the current rule by requiring notifications to the Governor plus additional agencies and media within 12 hours of an escape. It adds the Department of Public Safety, the sheriff of the county where the escape occurred, the chief of police where the escape occurred if in a municipality, the sheriff and chief of police for the last conviction location, and the sheriff and chief of police for the convict's home of record. It requires electronic media outlets within 75 miles to be notified and mandates posting the notification on the department's website with details about the escape and the inmate. It also requires the inmate to be entered into the National Crime Information Center within 12 hours and creates a reward up to $400 for apprehension, payable from convict-labor proceeds, contingent on a certificate of recapture.

Who It Affects

• Escapees/inmates: subject to expanded, faster notifications and potential rewards.
• State and local law enforcement officials (Governor, Department of Public Safety, county sheriffs, municipal police): required recipients of the notifications and coordinators for apprehension.
• News media outlets: required recipients within 75 miles of the escape location for rapid dissemination.
• Public/Residents: informed more quickly through media and online posting about escapes.

Key Provisions

• Looks to be named the Joel Willmore Act.
• Expands required notifications within 12 hours to include the Governor, Department of Public Safety, sheriff of the county where the escape occurred, chief of police where the escape occurred (if in a municipality), sheriff and chief of police for the location of the convict's last conviction, and sheriff and chief of police for the convict's home of record.
• Requires notification to electronic media outlets broadcasting from within 75 miles of the escape location.
• Notifications must include time, circumstances, a description of the inmate, a copy of the inmate's most recent mug shot, and information about the offense, county of conviction, and date.
• Requires posting of a similar notification on the Department of Corrections website.
• Director of Central Records must enter the inmate into the National Crime Information Center within 12 hours.
• Authorizes a reward not exceeding $400 for the apprehension of the inmate, paid from convict labor proceeds, with payment conditioned on a certificate of recapture.
• Effective date: first day of the third month after passage.

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

Subjects

Taxation