HB225 Alabama 2012 Session

Updated Feb 27, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Joe Hubbard
Democrat
Session: Regular Session 2012
Title: County jails, grand jury to review inspection reports, presentation of certain findings to county commission, sheriffs, and district attorney, Sec. 12-16-191 am'd (2012-20241)
Summary: HB225 changes how Alabama grand juries inspect county jails by requiring annual oversight and publicly presenting findings to key officials, with the possibility of indicting county commissioners for jail deficiencies.
What This Bill Does
The bill requires the grand jury to make a personal inspection or review jail inspection records at least once a year to judge the jail's safety, housing, and health conditions. If the jail is found not properly constructed or ventilated to prevent escapes, the grand jury can, as needed, present its findings to the district attorney, sheriff, and county commission for action, and may indict the county commissioners who were in office when the deficiency occurred. The findings are meant to prompt official action to fix problems, and the act takes effect immediately after becoming law.

Who It Affects
Grand juries in Alabama counties — they must conduct annual inspections or review inspection records to assess jail conditions.
County officials who were serving as county commissioners when a jail was deemed insufficient — they may face indictment based on findings, and their actions are subject to review by the district attorney, sheriff, and county commission.

Key Provisions
Requires grand juries to inspect county jails at least annually or review all jail inspection records to determine adequacy for keeping prisoners safely, housing them, and ensuring health.
If a jail is found not properly built or ventilated to prevent escapes, the grand jury must present its findings to the district attorney, sheriff, and county commission for appropriate action, and may indict the county commissioners who were in office at the time of the deficiency.

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