HB614 Alabama 2019 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Jim HillRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2019

Title

Diversion programs, require every judicial circuit to establish a drug court program and mental health court program, community corrections, require every judicial circuit to establish a community punishment and corrections program, Sec. 15-18-187 added; Secs. 12-23A-4, 12-23A-9, 12-23A-12, 15-18-172, 15-18-176 am'd.

Summary

HB 614 would require every Alabama judicial circuit to run drug courts, establish a community punishment and corrections program in at least one county, and create mental health courts in at least one county per circuit, with new rules and funding to support them.

What This Bill Does

The bill mandates the creation and operation of drug courts in all circuits, plus community punishment and corrections programs in at least one county per circuit and mental health courts in at least one county per circuit. It sets up local teams, incentives, sanctions, and formal disposition options for completion, and establishes state-level coordination and reporting. It also creates funding guidance, performance-based reimbursement, and cross-agency collaboration to implement and sustain these programs, with an implementation deadline around January 1, 2020 for the new provisions.

Who It Affects

• Judicial circuits, county governments, district attorneys, and state agencies (such as the Administrative Office of Courts, Department of Mental Health, Department of Corrections, and related departments) who must plan, fund, oversee, and report on the new drug, CP&C, and mental health court programs.
• Offenders and participants the programs target, including drug offenders in drug courts, inmates or participants in community punishment and corrections programs, and individuals in mental health courts who require assessment, treatment referrals, and structured supervision.

Key Provisions

• Every judicial circuit must establish a drug court program; participation requires consent of the district attorney and the court, and programs must follow defined components and allow incentives or sanctions based on progress.
• Every judicial circuit must establish a community punishment and corrections program in at least one county within the circuit; there are limits on participant numbers, funding considerations for counties, and provisions for state inmates’ participation and alternatives if a county has no program.
• Every judicial circuit must establish a mental health court in at least one county; programs include ongoing support teams, incentives and sanctions, confidential records handling, assessments, and treatment referrals, with participation by consent of the district attorney and court.
• A new Section 15-18-187 requires a community punishment and corrections program in each circuit by January 1, 2020, with the presiding judge selecting a county if none exists and allowing nonprofit programs to satisfy the requirement.
• Administrative Office of Courts and other state agencies will plan, coordinate, develop guidelines, provide resources, track performance, and report annually on the use, impact, and cost-effectiveness of these programs; funding may involve performance-based reimbursement and initial support from the Department of Corrections.
• Eligibility rules and treatment standards for mental health courts, assessment and treatment certification by the Department of Mental Health, and safeguards for privacy and audits of program finances and operations.

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

Subjects

Diversion Programs