HB545 Alabama 2017 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Allen Farley

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2017

Title

Prisons, Alabama Prison Transformation Initiative Act, construction of new facilities provided for, Joint Legislative Prison Committee, reporting requirements increased, Alabama Corrections Institution Finance Authority, bonds authorized for prison facilities, construction agreements, renovating and demolishing existing prison facilities, proceeds on existing one mill tax, distribution further provided for, Secs. 14-2-1, 14-2-6, 14-2-12, 14-2-13.1, 14-2-16, 14-2-19, 14-2-21, 14-2-28, 28-3-201, 28-3-202, 28-3-204, 29-2-20, 38-4-12, 40-8-3 am'd.

Summary

HB545 would overhaul prison financing and management by allowing up to $100 million in bonds for renovations and new facilities, creating county jail districts to house state inmates, expanding medical parole, and increasing reporting and oversight.

What This Bill Does

It lets the Alabama Corrections Institution Finance Authority issue up to $100 million in bonds to purchase, renovate, and equip the Perry County facility, the Julia Tutwiler Prison for Women, and other facilities, with renovations required to be competitively bid. It creates capital improvement cooperative districts at the county or municipal level to renovate, expand, maintain, and operate jail facilities that will house state inmates, with the Department of Corrections contracting to house minimum-security inmates at $30 per day per inmate (plus $1.75 per day for meals), adjusted annually by CPI. It pledges portions of the one mill tax and the liquor tax to secure the bonds, provides rules for disposition of surplus property, and increases reporting to the Joint Legislative Prison Committee. It adds a medical parole program for inmates with life-threatening illnesses and requires annual reporting on medical paroles, along with additional reporting and coordination measures to improve oversight and communication among law enforcement, corrections, and communities.

Who It Affects

• Incarcerated individuals: may be housed in new or renovated facilities run by county cooperative districts, with minimum-security inmates billed at $30 per day (plus meal costs) and potential eligibility for medical parole.
• Counties and municipalities: may form capital improvement cooperative districts to oversee jail renovations/operations and participate in housing state inmates, including bonding and governance powers.
• Department of Corrections: would contract with cooperative districts for inmate housing, cover health care costs for housed inmates, and participate in reporting and planning processes.
• Taxpayers and the public: bond financing and dedicated tax proceeds (one mill tax and liquor tax) are pledged to secure debt, affecting how certain tax revenues are used and monitored.
• Contractors and bidders: renovations and construction projects are required to follow competitive bidding, with provisions encouraging diverse bidders and transparency in fees.
• Board of Pardons and Paroles: would implement and administer the medical parole docket and receive annual reporting on medical paroles.
• General public and lawmakers: receive increased reporting and transparency on prison populations, facilities, and spending through annual and semi-annual reports.

Key Provisions

• authorize the Alabama Corrections Institution Finance Authority to issue up to $100,000,000 in bonds to purchase, renovate, and equip the Perry County facility, Julia Tutwiler Prison for Women, and other facilities, with renovations subject to competitive bidding.
• create capital improvement cooperative districts ( counties/municipalities) to oversee renovation/expansion/maintenance of jail facilities for housing state inmates, with DOC contracts to house minimum-security inmates at $30 per day per inmate (plus $1.75 for meals) and CPI adjustments; districts may operate under Chapter 99B and have bond powers.
• pledge portions of the proceeds from the one mill tax and the liquor tax to secure the authority’s bonds, and outline disposition of bond proceeds and procedures when bonds are paid off.
• implement a medical parole program for geriatric, permanently incapacitated, and terminally ill inmates, including a special docket, annual reporting, and a process for DOC to identify eligible inmates and provide medical evidence as needed.
• require increased reporting to the Joint Legislative Prison Committee and other legislative committees, including facility populations, costs, medical/mental health status, and fund expenditures, with semi-annual progress reports.
• modify related statutes and definitions to accommodate the new financing and governance structure, including adjustments to committee composition and authority oversight to bridge communication between corrections, law enforcement, and communities.

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

Subjects

Prisons and Prisoners