Alabama 2023 Regular Session

Alabama House Bill HB38 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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1	1	HB38INTRODUCED
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3	3	9J3QPB-1
4	4	By Representative Hill
5	5	RFD: Judiciary
6	6	First Read: 07-Mar-23
7	7	PFD: 23-Feb-23
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12	12	5 9J3QPB-1 02/22/2023 CNB (L) tgw 2022-5036
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14	14	SYNOPSIS:
15	15	Under existing law, a judge must sentence an
16	16	offender convicted of a nonviolent offense pursuant to
17	17	the presumptive sentencing standards.
18	18	This bill would allow a judge to deviate from
19	19	the presumptive sentencing guidelines if a defendant is
20	20	convicted after requesting a trial.
21	21	A BILL
22	22	TO BE ENTITLED
23	23	AN ACT
24	24	Relating to sentencing; to amend Section 12-25-34.2,
25	25	Code of Alabama 1975, to allow a judge to deviate from the
26	26	presumptive sentencing standards if a defendant is convicted
27	27	after requesting a trial.
28	28	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
29	29	Section 1. Section 12-25-34.2, Code of Alabama 1975, is
30	30	amended to read as follows:
31	31	"§12-25-34.2
32	32	(a) For the purposes of this section, the following
33	33	words shall have the following meanings:
34	34	(1) AGGRAVATING FACTORS. Substantial and compelling
35	35	reasons justifying an exceptional sentence whereby the
36	36	sentencing court may impose a departure sentence above the
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66	66	presumptive sentence recommendation for an offense.
67	67	Aggravating factors may result in dispositional or sentence
68	68	range departures, or both, and shall be stated on the record
69	69	by the court.
70	70	(2) DEPARTURE. A sentence which that departs from the
71	71	presumptive sentence recommendation for an offender.
72	72	(3) DISPOSITION. The part of the sentencing
73	73	courtscourt's presumptive sentence recommendation other than
74	74	sentence length.
75	75	(4) DISPOSITIONAL DEPARTURE. A sentence which that
76	76	departs from the presumptive sentence recommendation for
77	77	disposition of sentence.
78	78	(5) MITIGATING FACTORS. Substantial and compelling
79	79	reasons justifying an exceptional sentence whereby where the
80	80	sentencing court may impose a departure sentence below the
81	81	presumptive sentence recommendation for an offense. Mitigating
82	82	factors may result in disposition or sentence range
83	83	departures, or both, and shall be stated on the record by the
84	84	court.
85	85	(6) NONVIOLENT OFFENSESOFFENSE. As defined in Section
86	86	12-25-32.
87	87	(7) PRESUMPTIVE SENTENCE RECOMMENDATION. The
88	88	recommended sentence range and disposition provided in the
89	89	sentencing standards.
90	90	(8) SENTENCE RANGE. The sentencing court's
91	91	discretionary range of length of sentence as provided and
92	92	recommended in the presumptive sentencing recommendation.
93	93	(9) SENTENCE RANGE DEPARTURE. A sentence which that
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123	123	departs from the presumptive sentence recommendation as to the
124	124	sentence range.
125	125	(10) VIOLENT OFFENSESOFFENSE. As defined in Section
126	126	12-25-32.
127	127	(b) The voluntary sentencing standards as provided for
128	128	in Section 12-25-34, as applied to a nonviolent offenses
129	129	offense shall become presumptive sentencing standards
130	130	effective October 1, 2013, to the extent the modification
131	131	adopted by the Alabama Sentencing Commission become effective
132	132	October 1, 2013. The standards shall be applied by the courts
133	133	in sentencing subject to departures as provided hereinin this
134	134	section. To accomplish this purpose as to the existing initial
135	135	voluntary sentencing standards, the Alabama Sentencing
136	136	Commission shall adopt modifications to the standards,
137	137	worksheets, and instructions to the extent necessary to
138	138	implement this provision including, but not limited to,
139	139	defining aggravating and mitigating factors that allow for
140	140	departure from the presumptive sentencing recommendations. The
141	141	commission's modifications shall be presented to the
142	142	Legislature in the commission's annual report within the first
143	143	five legislative days of the 2013 Regular Session.
144	144	(c) Durational Except as provided in subsection (d),
145	145	durational and dispositional departures from the presumptive
146	146	sentencing standards shall be subject to appellate review.
147	147	Along with the modifications provided for in subsection (b),
148	148	the Alabama Sentencing Commission shall recommend a narrowly
149	149	defined scope of appellate review applicable to departures
150	150	from presumptive sentencing recommendations. The scope of
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180	180	appellate review shall become effective upon approval by an
181	181	act of the Legislature enacted by bill.
182	182	(d) A judge may deviate from the presumptive sentencing
183	183	standards if a defendant is convicted of an offense after
184	184	requesting a jury trial. "
185	185	Section 2. This act shall become effective on the first
186	186	day of the third month following its passage and approval by
187	187	the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law.
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