SB320 Alabama 2012 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Cam Ward

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2012

Title

Pardons and Paroles Board, lesser penalty for parole revocations not based on commission of new crime, Sec. 15-22-32 am'd.

Summary

SB320 rewrites parole revocation rules to treat technical violations differently from new-crime violations, allowing up to 90 days of imprisonment with automatic reinstatement for technical violations and requiring serving the balance of the sentence for new-crime revocations, plus creating Parole Revocation Hearing Officers.

What This Bill Does

If a revocation is based on a new crime (excluding certain traffic offenses), the board may require the parolee to serve the balance of the original sentence. For technical violations, the parolee may be jailed up to 90 days and then have parole automatically reinstated (with discretion if there are three or more prior technical revocations). The bill also applies retroactively to technical-violation revocations prior to the act's effective date and creates a Parole Revocation Hearing Officer role to conduct hearings.

Who It Affects

• Parolees whose revocation is based on a technical violation (including non-serious traffic offenses) who may face up to 90 days in prison and automatic reinstatement, with potential discretionary reinstatement if they have three or more prior technical revocations, plus retroactive relief for pre-effective-date cases.
• Parolees whose revocation is based on the commission of a new crime who may be required to serve the balance of their original sentence in prison.

Key Provisions

• Amends Section 15-22-32 to distinguish revocations by cause: new crime vs. technical violation.
• New-crime revocations may require serving the balance of the original sentence in prison.
• Technical-violation revocations may require up to 90 days in prison, after which parole is automatically reinstated unless the offender has three or more prior technical revocations (board discretion otherwise).
• Non-serious traffic offenses are treated as technical violations under the bill.
• Delinquent parolees begin serving the balance of time on the date of rearrest.
• Retroactive application to individuals whose parole was revoked for a technical violation prior to the act’s effective date.
• Creates Parole Revocation Hearing Officer positions and authorizes three hearing officers to conduct parole courts.
• Procedural framework for parole hearings to determine guilt and recommend revocation or reinstatement.

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

Subjects

Crimes and Offenses