House committee advances legislation to allow some habitual offenders…

In the past, Alabama has had a strict habitual offender law where people convicted of three felonies received life without parole. Sentencing reform in the decades past has largely done away with that 1980s sentencing standard. On Wednesday, the Alabama House Judiciary Committee advanced legislation that would allow some offenders serving life sentences under that old statute to be given a possible pathway for release.

House Bill 229 (HB229) is sponsored by State Representative Chris England (D-Tuscaloosa).

HB29 had been carried over in committee due to concerns that some members of the Judiciary Committee had about the legislation.

“It has been on the agenda for weeks in order to do work for it,” England said. “This is one of those rare times in this building where the process worked.”

“Russell Bedsole has offered two amendments,” England explained. I have also worked with the AG’s office Katherine Robinson and Bennett…