The bill proposes amendments to the Code of Alabama 1975, specifically affecting the Department of Corrections and the Joint Prison Oversight Committee. It increases the number of deputy commissioners the Commissioner of the Department of Corrections can appoint from three to five and renames the position from Deputy Commissioner for Prisoner Rehabilitation to Deputy Commissioner for Inmate Rehabilitation. Additionally, it introduces a new section allowing the Commissioner to appoint exempt employees for department operations and constituent services, who are not required to be certified as corrections or law enforcement officers. The bill also amends the responsibilities of the Joint Prison Oversight Committee, adding the Alabama Department of Senior Services to the list of entities the committee collaborates with and requiring the employment of an individual to assist the committee, in consultation with the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts.

The bill includes several insertions and deletions to the existing law, such as removing the fixed reporting schedule for the committee to the Legislature and allowing reports upon request or by majority vote. The term "prison" is replaced with "correctional" when referring to facilities. The committee's responsibilities are expanded to include issues related to services for constituents and inmates' families, emphasizing the correctional system's community impact. The bill mandates the employment of an individual to assist the committee by September 1, 2024, and ensures that studies and partnerships reflect the state's diversity. The act is scheduled to take effect on June 1, 2024.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 14-1-1, 14-1-4
Engrossed: 14-1-1, 14-1-4
Enrolled: 14-1-1, 14-1-4