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Kay Ivey on Crime |
Other states have passed similar laws, including California and Florida in the 1990s. The Alabama chemical castration law says sex offenders will have to take "medroxyprogesterone acetate treatment or its chemical equivalent, that, among other things, reduces, inhibits, or blocks the production of testosterone, hormones, or other chemicals in a person's body." The law requires the treatment to begin at least one month before a parolee is released.
Legislative Outcome: Passed Senate 27-0-8 on roll call #1423 on May 30; passed House 72-16-16 on roll call #831 on May 21; Signed by Gov. Ivey on June 10.
Immediately after taking office, I developed a plan to address correctional staffing, which will improve the delivery of inmate healthcare and make capital investments in our infrastructure. We have commissioned comprehensive reviews to determine the compensation levels necessary to recruit and retain corrections staff. I have [started] developing a master plan, so we will be able to make smart, cost-effective decisions when addressing our outdated prison infrastructure.
OnTheIssues summary: This bill changes the rules for sentencing criminals in capital cases when sentencing to death versus life imprisonment. The previous rules had a jury trial with an advisory verdict of life or death, and then a separate sentencing trial, where the judge could override the jury's sentence. The new rules allow the defendant to choose a jury trial or a non-jury (judge-based) trial. In either case, the verdict is final.
ACLU opinion: This new law prevents judges from overriding the will of the community by imposing the death penalty when a jury has recommended life imprisonment. While we applaud this change, Alabama is still the only state that does not require a unanimous jury for the death penalty.
Legislative Outcome:Passed House 78-19-2 in roll call #362 on April 16; passed Senate 23-5-0 in roll call #111 on Feb. 23; signed by Gov. Kay Ivey on April 4.
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