Prison Reform Bill Heading To Governor’s Desk
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The prison reform bill made it through the senate after just a few hours of debate a few weeks ago.
But the bill is taking significantly longer in the house.
Democratic Representative John Rogers even asked that the 126 page bill to be read in its entirety.
“I’m for a lot of these bills but I’m against the process. So I’m slowing the process so they’re going to have to start doing right by the process. I want it to be just and fair play, that’s all I’m asking for. I’m slowing the process with every rule I can find in the book and I know a lot of them,” said Rep. Rogers.
The bill has a lot of support in the house, much like when it passed in the senate.
Even Representative Rogers plans on voting in favor of the bill.
“I’ll vote yes. I want anything at all to help it to try and help it. If they treated dogs like they treat those prisoners, every animal rights activist in the world would be down here about those dogs,” said Rogers.
One of the biggest goals is to reduce prison overcrowding. Alabama’s prisons are well over capacity, sitting at about 200 percent.
Senator Cam Ward sponsored the bill and served as head of the state’s prison reform task force.
“You would go from 192 percent capacity now down to roughly 137 in a five year period. That would be the largest reduction of any state in the country to this date,” said Sen. Ward.
But this is just the beginning of that five year plan. Ward has already started working on next year’s plan.
“We have a couple things next year, one we have to look more into the abuse allegations. WE continue to look into those. Two, we continue to look into mental health services. I think we’re also going to look at other alternatives with faith based initiatives, and we’re going to stay focused on the parole options,” said Ward.
