HB520 Alabama 2021 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Jim HillRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2021

Title

Corrections, to provide deduction of a prisoners sentence upon completion of qualifying programs, require DOC to adopt rules for administration of education incentive time, require approval of rules by Joint Legislative Prison Oversight Committee, Secs. 14-9-100 to 14-9-107, incl., added; Sec. 29-2-20 am'd.

Summary

HB520 would let prisoners earn a sentence deduction for completing approved education and training programs, with rules for how it works set and approved by a joint legislative oversight committee.

What This Bill Does

Creates the Alabama Education Incentive Time Act, allowing a prisoner to receive a deduction from their sentence for completing a qualifying program, up to 12 months per term. The Department of Corrections must adopt rules for administering education incentive time, but only after approval from the Joint Legislative Prison Oversight Committee, which also sets the maximum deduction, how credits are awarded, and disciplinary rules. The Board of Pardons and Paroles uses the awarded time in parole decisions, and the program cannot guarantee participation or any right to credit. The act also establishes the Joint Legislative Prison Oversight Committee to oversee corrections operations and study related issues, with rules and reporting requirements tied to the incentive time program.

Who It Affects

• Prisoners: may earn up to 12 months of education incentive time per term for completing qualifying academic, vocational, risk-reducing, or apprenticeship programs; time is in addition to other deductions but not available for certain categories and programs completed before incarceration.
• Department of Corrections: must adopt administration rules for education incentive time, subject to approval by the Joint Legislative Prison Oversight Committee; will administer and track incentive time credits and ensure compliance.
• Board of Pardons and Paroles: must apply education incentive time to advance parole considerations and consider the time when making parole decisions; must be informed if a prisoner declines to participate.
• Joint Legislative Prison Oversight Committee: must approve rules for education incentive time and oversee related corrections issues, including mental health, capacity, restitution, and reporting to the Legislature.

Key Provisions

• 1) Establishes the Alabama Education Incentive Time Act, adding Article 4 to Title 14, Chapter 9, with the purpose of providing sentence deductions for qualifying programs.
• 2) Defines QUALIFYING PROGRAM as an academic, vocational, risk-reducing, or apprenticeship program approved by the Department of Corrections, and TERM OF INCARCERATION as the period from the start to the end of the sentence.
• 3) Requires the Department of Corrections to adopt administration rules for education incentive time, but only after approval from the Joint Legislative Prison Oversight Committee; rules must specify maximum time, credit increments by program, a revocation provision for disciplinary infractions, and any additional restrictions; final rules due to LSA by March 1, 2022.
• 4) Allows a prisoner to earn a deduction from the term of incarceration for completing a qualifying program (education incentive time), with a cap of 12 months per term and in addition to other deductions; excludes time for programs completed before the term and certain prisoners (death sentence, life imprisonment, or sex offenses involving a child).
• 5) Requires education incentive time to be reported to the Board of Pardons and Paroles, who will apply it to advance initial consideration dates and tentative parole review dates and consider it in final parole decisions; also requires reporting if a prisoner declines to participate.
• 6) States there is no guaranteed right to participate or to receive incentive time, and that no court shall have jurisdiction over challenges to incentive time rules, awards, or related decisions.
• 7) Board of Pardons and Paroles and related agencies must adopt and implement rules to administer this article.
• 8) Section 29-2-20 amended to create the Joint Legislative Prison Oversight Committee, outlining its composition, duties to study corrections operations, mental health, restitution, capacity, and other issues, and to approve rules related to education incentive time.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Corrections Department