HJR285 Alabama 2024 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Joe LovvornRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2024

Title

Joint Interim Study Commission, established

Summary

Establishes a Joint Interim Study Commission on Local and County Victim Notification to study practices and funding for a statewide victim notification system.

What This Bill Does

The bill creates the Joint Interim Study Commission on Local and County Victim Notification to study how counties and localities notify victims about offenders’ custody status and to address funding gaps for a statewide universal solution. The first meeting must occur within 60 days of passage, and the commission will elect leadership and operate to study practices and funding. It will report its findings by the third legislative day of the 2025 Regular Session and then be dissolved.

Who It Affects

• Victims and victim advocacy groups, who would gain clearer information about an offender’s custody status through a potential statewide notification system being studied.
• County and local government agencies (such as sheriffs, district attorneys, and other law enforcement bodies) that run local victim notification programs, which would be reviewed for funding and improvement as part of a statewide solution.

Key Provisions

• Establishes the Joint Interim Study Commission on Local and County Victim Notification to study county and local victim notification practices.
• Sets membership to include specified officials and representatives (e.g., victim advocacy, House and Senate leaders, committee chairs, minority leaders, Finance Director, Attorney General appointee, and appointees from law enforcement and local government groups).
• Requires the appointing authorities to ensure diversity in race, gender, geography, urban/rural balance, and economics among members.
• Directs the commission to study current county and local victim notification practices across the state.
• Requires the first meeting within 60 days of passage and authorization to elect a chair and vice chair; allows meetings as needed.
• Provides administrative support from the Legislative Services Agency, the Clerk of the House, and the Secretary of the Senate.
• Describes compensation: legislative members receive compensation, per diem, and travel expenses; nonlegislative members serve without pay but may be reimbursed for expenses.
• Requires a written report of findings to the Governor, the Speaker of the House, and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate by the third legislative day of the 2025 Regular Session; the commission dissolves after this report.
• Requires notice of all meetings and the names of members to be provided to the Secretary of State.
• Each appointing authority will receive a copy of the resolution.

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

Subjects

Resolutions