SB240 • 2026

Parole, remote inmate participation at parole hearings, authorized, conditions established

Crime

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Barfoot
Last action: 2026-04-07
Official status: Enrolled
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill specifies video conferencing should be used when available, but allows other methods if not; this nuance is reflected in 'similar system' language.

SB240: Remote Participation in Parole Hearings

This law allows inmates to attend parole hearings by phone or video and sets rules for how victims, families, and other participants can join remotely while protecting them from unwanted contact with the inmate.

What This Bill Does

Requires the Board of Pardons and Paroles to let inmates attend their own parole hearing using a telephone, video conference, or similar system that allows interaction with board members.
Allows victims, victim family members, crime victim advocates, law enforcement officers, and prosecutors to join hearings remotely if they choose.
Gives victims and their families the option to hear an inmate's statement without seeing them unless they agree otherwise.
Requires the hearing to pause immediately if the communication system fails or gets interrupted until it is fixed.
Directs the Department of Corrections to buy equipment so inmates can connect with the board during hearings.

Who It Names or Affects

Inmates who are scheduled for parole hearings
The Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles
Victims, their families, and crime victim advocates
Law enforcement officers and prosecutors attending the hearing

Terms To Know

Parole Hearing: A meeting where a board decides if an inmate can be released from prison early.
Remote Participation: Joining a hearing by phone or video instead of being in the same room as everyone else.

Limits and Unknowns

The law does not take effect until March 1, 2027.
Inmates can choose to give up their right to attend remotely if they want to appear in person or skip the hearing.
Access for individuals who are allowed to speak is determined by rules established by the board.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

KHN1M55-1

R 575 • Singleton

Adopted

Plain English: This amendment requires the Department of Corrections to buy communication systems so inmates can join their parole hearings by phone, video call, or other approved methods.

The Department of Corrections must purchase a telephone, video conference, or similar system for inmate use.
Inmates will be allowed to participate in their own parole hearings using these communication tools.
The new systems must let inmates talk directly with the members of the parole board during the hearing.

The text does not explain how much money is needed or where it will come from to buy these systems.
It is unclear if there are specific rules about which types of communication methods count as 'authorized' beyond phone and video.

Bill History

2026-04-07 House
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 1208 (Yeas 105, Nays 0)
2026-04-07 House
Third Reading in Second House (Yeas 104, Nays 0)
2026-04-07 House
Signature Requested
2026-04-07 Senate
Delivered to Governor
2026-04-07 Senate
Enrolled
2026-04-07 Senate
Ready to Enroll
2026-03-05 House
Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
2026-03-04 House
Reported Out of Committee Second House
2026-02-24 Senate
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 576 (Yeas 33, Nays 0)
2026-02-24 Senate
Singleton motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 575 (Yeas 33, Nays 0)
2026-02-24 Senate
Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 31, Nays 0)
2026-02-24 House
Pending Committee Action in Second House
2026-02-24 House
Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Judiciary
2026-02-24 Senate
Engrossed
2026-02-24 Senate
Singleton 1st Amendment Offered
2026-02-24 Senate
Carried Over to the Call of the Chair
2026-02-12 Senate
Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
2026-02-11 Senate
Reported Out of Committee House of Origin
2026-02-03 Senate
Pending Committee Action in House of Origin
2026-02-03 Senate
Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Judiciary

Official Summary Text

Parole, remote inmate participation at parole hearings, authorized, conditions established

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB240 ENROLLED
Page 0
SB240
I3SXG66-3
By Senator Barfoot
RFD: Judiciary
First Read: 03-Feb-26
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SB240 Enrolled
Page 1
First Read: 03-Feb-26
Enrolled, An Act,
Relating to paroles; to provide that an inmate may
attend his or her parole hearing remotely and provide
parameters for remote parole hearings.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. (a)(1) The Board of Pardons and Paroles
shall allow an inmate to participate in his or her parole
hearing via telephone, video conference, or any other similar
communications system that allows the inmate to interact with
the members of the Board of Pardons and Paroles. The board
shall give the victim, victim's family, and others
representing the victim the option to see or hear the inmate's
statement.
(2) The board shall allow any other individual
participating in a parole hearing, including, but not limited
to, the victim, the victim's family, a crime victim advocate,
a law enforcement officer, or a prosecutor, to participate in
a parole hearing via telephone, video conference, or any other
similar communications system.
(3) An inmate may waive his or her rights provided
under this subsection.
(b) Unless the victim or the victim's family chooses
otherwise, the board shall not allow an inmate to see, hear,
or otherwise interact with victims, victims' families, or
crime victim advocates who address the board or attend the
hearing.
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SB240 Enrolled
Page 2
hearing.
(c) If the communications system fails or is in any way
interrupted during a hearing, the board shall suspend the
hearing until communication is reestablished.
(d) The board shall only provide access to the hearing
to individuals permitted to speak pursuant to rules
established by the board. Individuals authorized to speak may
speak by telephone, video conference, or any other similar
communications system. The board shall use video conferencing
when that communications system is available; otherwise, the
board may choose any other authorized communication method.
(e) The Department of Corrections shall procure a
telephone, video conference, or other communications system to
allow each inmate to participate in his or her parole hearing
via the approved telephone, video conference, or any other
similar communications system. The communications system shall
allow the inmate to interact with the members of the board at
the parole hearing. The department shall cooperate with the
board in the implementation of this act.
Section 2. This act shall become effective on March 1,
2027.
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SB240 Enrolled
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2027.
________________________________________________
President and Presiding Officer of the Senate
________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Representatives
SB240
Senate 24-Feb-26
I hereby certify that the within Act originated in and passed
the Senate, as amended.
Patrick Harris,
Secretary.
House of Representatives
Passed: 07-Apr-26
By: Senator Barfoot
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