HB16 Alabama 2023 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Chris EnglandRepresentative

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2023

Title

Relating to criminal justice; to create the Criminal Justice Policy Development Council; to specify the membership of the council; to specify the duties of the council; and to amend Section 15-22-26, Code of Alabama 1975, to require the Board of Pardons and Paroles to use parole release guidelines; to revise certain parole proceedings; and to provide appellate review of certain parole decisions.

Summary

HB16 would create a Criminal Justice Policy Development Council to develop validated risk/needs assessments and parole guidelines, require parole decisions to follow those guidelines, and provide appellate relief for deviations.

What This Bill Does

The bill creates the Criminal Justice Policy Development Council to oversee the development and implementation of validated risk and needs assessments for offenders, parole guidelines, and inmate classification guidelines. It requires the Board of Pardons and Paroles to use the council-created parole release guidelines in its decisions and to state reasons if it deviates from them. It also provides appellate relief for prisoners adversely affected by deviations and amends parole law to codify these guidelines and procedures.

Who It Affects

• Prisoners/offenders: parole decisions will be guided by new guidelines; deviations can be appealed.
• Board of Pardons and Paroles: must use council guidelines and provide explanations for deviations.
• Department of Corrections: will implement risk assessments and guidelines and coordinate with the council.
• Victims and families: can be involved in consideration and will receive explanations for parole decisions and deviations; may participate in appeals.
• State government and public safety stakeholders: obtain quarterly reporting and a formal framework for parole guidelines and classification.

Key Provisions

• Establishes the Criminal Justice Policy Development Council with specific members (Executive Director of the Alabama Sentencing Commission; Commissioner of the Department of Corrections; Director of the Board of Pardons and Paroles; Director of the Legislative Services Agency; Chairs of the Senate and House Judiciary Committees; minority party members from both chambers). The council must select a chair and vice chair by August 1, 2023.
• By October 1, 2025, the council must update the inmate classification system, create and adopt parole guidelines for the Board of Pardons and Paroles, and adopt a validated risk and needs assessment for Alabama felony offenders; the council may contract with third parties and must report progress to the Legislature quarterly.
• The Board of Pardons and Paroles must use the council-created parole release guidelines and explain any departure from them; guidelines are an aid, not a guaranteed right, and departures are subject to appellate review; prisoners have a right to appeal denials of parole within 30 days to the Court of Criminal Appeals.
• Amends Section 15-22-26 to require parole release guidelines to determine fitness for parole, outlines the structure and review of guidelines (three-year review cycle with open comment), lists evaluation factors (risk, reentry progress, victim input, participation in risk-reduction programs, institutional behavior, offense severity, and interview statements), and extends parole decisions to be discretionary by the board with written rationales for decisions and departures.

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