SB318 Alabama 2013 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Bryan Taylor

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2013

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

The bill expands who must be notified when an inmate escapes, adds posting and data-sharing requirements, and sets a reward and timeframe for these actions.

What This Bill Does

It changes the law to require the agency custodying an escape to notify a broad list of state and local officials and all interested electronic media within 12 hours. It also requires posting the alert on the agency’s website, and entering the escapee into the National Crime Information Center within 12 hours. The bill preserves a reward of up to $400 for recapture, payable from state funds, and designates the act as the Joel Willmore Act, with an effective date three months after passage.

Who It Affects

• Inmates who escape: subject to expanded notification and public alert measures.
• Alabama state and local government agencies and law enforcement (e.g., Governor, Department of Public Safety, sheriffs, district attorneys, police chiefs): required to receive and act on rapid notifications about escapes.
• News media outlets within a 75-mile radius: must be notified and broadcast alerts about escapes.
• The general public: gains quicker, broader awareness of escapes through official notifications and media broadcasts.

Key Provisions

• Notify within 12 hours after an escape: Governor, Department of Public Safety, sheriff and district attorney of the county where the escape occurred, chief of police if within a municipality, sheriff and district attorney of the county where the last conviction occurred (if known), chief of police where the last conviction occurred (if known), sheriff and chief of police where the convict's home of record is located (if known).
• Notify all electronic media outlets broadcasting in a 75-mile radius that have expressed interest in being notified.
• Provide the time of escape, circumstances, a detailed description of the inmate, and the inmate’s most recent mug shot, plus the county of conviction, offense, and date.
• Post the alert on the custodian agency’s website within a reasonable time, if available.
• Enter the escapee into the National Crime Information Center within 12 hours.
• Reward up to $400 for the apprehension of the inmate, payable from the proceeds of inmate labor; payment requires a certificate that the inmate has been recaptured and returned to custody.
• The act is named the Joel Willmore Act and becomes effective three months after passage and approval.

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

Subjects

Prisons and Prisoners