1 SB66 2 215323-1 3 By Senator Chambliss 4 RFD: Judiciary 5 First Read: 11-JAN-22 Page 0 1 215323-1:n:01/11/2022:CNB/bm LSA2021-2147 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 SYNOPSIS: In the 2021 Regular Session the Study 9 Commission on Interagency Cooperation and 10 Collaboration on the Rehabilitation and 11 Reintegration of Formerly Incarcerated Individuals 12 was created. 13 Under existing law, the study commission is 14 dissolved on the fifth legislative day of the 2022 15 Regular Session. 16 This bill would extend the dissolution date 17 until the fifth legislative day of the 2023 Regular 18 Session. 19 This bill would also provide for the payment 20 of expenses. 21 22 A BILL 23 TO BE ENTITLED 24 AN ACT 25 26 Relating to the Study Commission on Interagency 27 Cooperation and Collaboration on the Rehabilitation and Page 1 1 Reintegration of Formerly Incarcerated Individuals; to amend 2 Section 3 of Act 2021-478, 2021 Regular Session, to extend the 3 dissolution date of the study commission and to provide for 4 expenses. 5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA: 6 Section 1. Section 3 of Act 2021-478 of the 2021 7 Regular Session, is amended to read as follows: 8 "Section 3. (a) There is established a Study 9 Commission on Interagency Cooperation and Collaboration on the 10 Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Formerly Incarcerated 11 Individuals, which shall consist of all of the following: 12 "(1) One member of the House of Representatives, 13 appointed by the Speaker of the House. 14 "(2) One member of the Senate, appointed by the 15 President Pro Tempore. 16 "(3) The Director of Pardons and Paroles, or his or 17 her designee. 18 "(4) The Commissioner of the Department of 19 Corrections, or his or her designee. 20 "(5) The Commissioner of the Department of Mental 21 Health, or his or her designee. 22 "(6) The Commissioner of the Department of Human 23 Resources, or his or her designee. 24 "(7) The Commissioner of the Alabama Medicaid 25 Agency, or his or her designee. 26 "(8) The Director of the Alabama Community College 27 System, or his or her designee. Page 2 1 "(9) The Secretary of the Alabama State Law 2 Enforcement Agency, or his or her designee. 3 "(10) The Secretary of the Department of Labor, or 4 his or her designee. 5 "(11) The Commissioner of the Alabama Department of 6 Veterans Affairs, or his or her designee. 7 "(12) The Executive Director of the Office of 8 Prosecution Services, or his or her designee. 9 "(13) A district attorney appointed by the Alabama 10 District Attorneys Association. 11 "(b) The Director of Pardons and Paroles, or his or 12 her designee, shall serve as the chair of the commission. A 13 vice chair shall be designated by a majority vote of the 14 quorum of the membership at its first meeting. A quorum shall 15 consist of a majority of the membership. 16 "(c) The membership of the commission shall be 17 inclusive and reflect the racial, gender, geographic areas, 18 urban/rural, and economic diversity of the state. 19 "(d) The commission shall have all of the following 20 duties: 21 "(1) Develop and present a strategic plan to make 22 communities safer by reducing recidivism and victimization and 23 assist individuals who return from prison to become productive 24 citizens and save taxpayer dollars by lowering the direct and 25 collateral costs of incarceration. Page 3 1 "(2) Identify, implement, and promote evidence-based 2 research, policies, strategies, and programming to support 3 successful reentry and reintegration. 4 "(3) Promote partnerships and collaboration among 5 state agencies and with local governments and organizations to 6 effectively and cost-efficiently advance reentry and 7 reintegration efforts and eliminate duplication of services. 8 "(4) Develop strategies to expand access to 9 educational programs and support programs upon reentry. 10 "(5) Develop strategies to assure access to health 11 care coverage and behavioral health services upon reentry. 12 "(6) Identify and address unwarranted barriers to 13 successful reentry. 14 "(e)(1) The commission shall hold its first meeting 15 no later than June 1, 2021, with the date, time, and location 16 of the meeting to be designated by the Director of Pardons and 17 Paroles, or his or her designee. 18 "(2) At the first meeting, the commission shall 19 elect a vice chair, elect other officers as determined by the 20 commission, and set dates, times, and locations of subsequent 21 meetings. 22 "(3) The commission shall meet at least monthly and 23 shall report its findings, conclusions, and recommendations to 24 the Legislature no later than the fifth legislative day of the 25 2022 2023 Regular Session, whereupon the commission shall 26 stand dissolved and discharged of any further duties and 27 liabilities. Page 4 1 "(f) The House of Representatives and the Senate 2 shall provide the necessary staff and support to the 3 commission to perform its duties. 4 "(g) Expenses incurred by the commission before or 5 after the effective date of the act adding this subsection 6 shall be paid from funds appropriated to the Legislature, not 7 to exceed a total of five thousand dollars ($5,000). 8 "(g) (h) Members of the commission shall serve 9 without compensation, but may be reimbursed for necessary 10 expenses in attending meetings of the commission according to 11 policies and procedures of their respective appointing 12 authority or employing agency. 13 "(h) (i) Legislative members of the commission shall 14 be entitled to their legislative compensation, per diem, and 15 travel expenses for each day they attend a meeting of the 16 commission, in accordance with Amendment 871 of the 17 Constitution of Alabama of 1901." 18 Section 2. This act is curative and retroactive to 19 the fifth legislative day of the 2022 Regular Session. 20 Section 3. This act shall become effective 21 immediately following its passage and approval by the 22 Governor, or its otherwise becoming law. Page 5