HB 57 Summary

• Creates the Criminal Justice Policy Development Council composed of the Executive Director of the Alabama Sentencing Commission, Secretary of the Department of Corrections, Director of the Board of Pardons and Paroles, and Director of the Legislative Services Agency.

• Requires the council to complete by October 1, 2024: an updated inmate classification system, parole release guidelines, and a validated risk and needs assessment for Alabama felony offenders.

• Mandates the Board of Pardons and Paroles use parole release guidelines in making parole decisions and provide written explanation when deviating from the guidelines.

• Provides prisoners with appellate review rights in the Montgomery County Circuit Court if the board denies parole based on deviation from established guidelines; court review is limited to the prisoner's parole file.

• Dissolves the council on January 1, 2025, unless extended by the Legislature; becomes effective immediately upon passage and Governor approval.