HB627 Alabama 2015 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Dexter Grimsley

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2015

Title

Habitual Offender Act, resentencing of certain offenders sentenced prior to Act 2000-759 amending act, panel of retired circuit judges to resentence, appointed, Sec. 13A-5-9.2 added

Summary

HB627 would create a panel of five retired circuit judges to review and potentially change sentences of certain Habitual Offender Act cases from before 2000, including allowing early parole for some nonviolent offenders.

What This Bill Does

It retroactively applies the Habitual Offender Act review to consider early parole for nonviolent offenders, based on Department of Corrections evaluations approved by the Board of Pardons and Paroles and submitted to the new panel. The panel would review petitions for resentencing under the Habitual Felony Offender Act for cases pre-2000 amendments, especially those serving life or life without parole, to determine eligibility for non-mandatory sentences and whether resentencing should occur. The panel would function for a five-year term with specific appointment rules and would have authority to resentence incarcerated individuals accordingly.

Who It Affects

• Nonviolent offenders previously sentenced under the Habitual Felony Offender Act before the 2000 amendments (including those serving life or life without parole) who could be considered for resentencing or early parole.
• Retired circuit judges who would serve on the five-member review panel, plus the Governor, Senate, and state agencies (Department of Corrections and Board of Pardons and Paroles) involved in the appointment, evaluation, and approval processes.

Key Provisions

• Creates a five-member panel of retired circuit judges to review resentencing under the Habitual Felony Offender Act for pre-2000 amendments.
• Establishes retroactive application to allow early parole considerations for nonviolent offenders based on DOC evaluations approved by the Board of Pardons and Paroles.
• Specifies appointment, term (five years), presiding judge, quorum (two), compensation, and related governance for panel members.
• Gives the panel authority to determine if offenders would have been eligible for non-mandatory sentences under the 2000 amendment and to resentence accordingly, including those with mandatory life sentences.
• Becomes effective immediately upon passage and repeals conflicting laws.

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

Subjects

Crimes and Offenses