SB64 Alabama 2013 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Cam Ward

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2013

Title

Probation, courts authorized to contract with certain private entities to provide probation services for certain offenses, County and Municipal Probation Advisory Council created, membership and duties, qualifications of private probation officers specified, certain activity by private probation officers prohibited, penalties, confidentiality of records

Summary

SB64 would let counties and municipalities hire private firms to handle probation services for non-violent cases, and it creates a state-backed system with standards, a new advisory council, and confidentiality and reporting rules.

What This Bill Does

It authorizes presiding circuit/district judges and municipal court judges to contract with private entities to provide probation services for non-violent offenses. It creates the County and Municipal Probation Advisory Council to set uniform standards, oversee training, register providers, and report to the Legislature, funded by provider fees. It sets uniform standards for private probation officers, requires background checks, and requires contracts to include detailed service and financial terms; it also requires quarterly reporting, a searchable online database, and confidentiality of records. It imposes restrictions on private probation operations (e.g., no felony supervision, no specific treatment program requirements) and establishes penalties and enforcement mechanisms for non-compliance.

Who It Affects

• Private probation service providers and their employees must register, meet uniform standards, undergo background checks, pay monthly per-offender fees to the Council, and follow contract and reporting requirements.
• People on probation (probationers) supervised by private entities would pay monthly supervision fees, be subject to confidentiality rules, and have supervised contact with private officers under established standards and reporting procedures.

Key Provisions

• Authorize contractting by circuit/district and municipal courts with private entities to provide probation services for non-violent offenses; private entities cannot supervise felonies.
• Create the County and Municipal Probation Advisory Council with specified members and duties to adopt rules, oversee training, registration, and conduct annual/biannual reports.
• Establish the County and Municipal Probation Advisory Council Fund; require private providers to remit $.50 per offender per month (quarterly) to fund Council activities.
• Set uniform standards for private probation officers (age 21+, no felony or violent misdemeanor, appropriate education/experience, orientation and ongoing training, and required background checks).
• Adopt uniform contract standards covering scope of services, staff qualifications, background checks, training, bonding/insurance, staffing levels, handling of court-ordered funds, indigent offender procedures, and reporting/recordkeeping.
• Prohibit conflicts of interest and certain relationships (no involvement with lending/investment in probation financing, no ownership in related drug/alcohol programs, no direct programspecification by providers).
• Provide confidentiality of probation records and grant access to specified state agencies and courts; require an online searchable database for defendant histories and related documents.
• Require provider registration; penalties for non-registration include Class A misdemeanor and civil penalties, plus potential contract revocation.
• Implement annual and periodic reporting requirements to assess effectiveness and inform potential legislative changes; specify effective date for the act.

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

Subjects

Criminal Law and Procedure