HB413 Alabama 2015 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Mike Ball

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2015

Title

Corrections Department, Investigation and Intelligence Division, search warrants, execution, investigations further provided for, Sec. 14-3-9 am'd.

Summary

HB413 would rename the corrections investigations division, remove warrant-execution authority for its officers, and create a new, limited police force to investigate corrections-related violations including associates of inmates and Department of Corrections staff.

What This Bill Does

The bill clarifies the division's name and removes language that allowed division officers to execute search warrants. It expands who can be investigated to include associates of inmates and department employees in matters related to prisons, correctional facilities, and department operations. It creates correctional investigative services officers who are peace officers with police powers to investigate and enforce laws related to the department, but they cannot execute search warrants and must display badges; their authority is limited to corrections-related cases and to arrests involving inmates, staff, and certain associates. Indictments for these violations would be tried in the circuit court of the county where the offense occurred, and officers must meet state law enforcement minimum standards.

Who It Affects

• Department of Corrections employees: must report violations to the designated division and are affected by the division name change and new investigative structure.
• Inmates and associates (including family members and contractors): may be subjects of investigations by the division or the new correctional investigative services officers for corrections-related violations.
• Correctional investigative services officers and supervisors: become state peace officers with limited police powers to investigate and enforce corrections-related laws, must display badges, and must follow minimum standards.
• Courts and prosecutors: indictments for these violations would be handled in circuit court in the county where the offense occurred.

Key Provisions

• Amends Section 14-3-9 to clarify the division's name (Investigation and Inspection Division) and remove language authorizing the division's officers to execute search warrants.
• Specifies that investigations may include associates of inmates and employees of the Department of Corrections in relation to violations at correctional facilities and department operations.
• Creates correctional investigative services officers (and supervisors) who are designated as peace officers with full police powers and jurisdiction to investigate and enforce violations related to prisons, facilities, and department employees/inmates, but without authority to execute search warrants.
• Requires correctional investigative services officers to display badges when making arrests and limits their powers to investigations/arrests involving inmates, department employees, and their associates (including family members and contractors) related to department-originated investigations.
• Requires these officers to comply with the minimum standards for state law enforcement officers.
• Indicts such violations in the circuit court of the county where the offense occurred.
• Effective date: immediately after passage and Governor approval (or otherwise becoming law).

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

Subjects

Corrections Department