§15-22-36. Authority to grant pardons and paroles, remit fines and forfeitures, etc.; notice of board action.

(a) In all cases, except treason and impeachment and cases in which sentence of death is imposed and not commuted, as is provided by law, the Board of Pardons and Paroles shall have the authority and power, after conviction and not otherwise, to grant pardons and paroles and to remit fines and forfeitures.

(b) Each member of the Board of Pardons and Paroles favoring a pardon, parole, remission of a fine or forfeiture, or restoration of civil and political rights shall enter in the file his or her reasons in detail, which entry and the order shall be public records, but all other portions of the file shall be privileged.

(c) No pardon shall relieve one from civil and political disabilities unless specifically expressed in the pardon. No pardon shall be granted unless the prisoner has successfully completed at least three years of permanent parole or until the expiration of his or her sentence if his or her sentence was for less than three years. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a pardon based on innocence may be granted upon the unanimous affirmative vote of the board following receipt and filing of clear proof of his or her innocence of the crime for which he or she was convicted and the written approval of the judge who tried his or her case or district attorney or with the written approval of a circuit judge in the circuit where he or she was convicted if the judge who tried his or her case is dead or no longer serving.

(d) The Board of Pardons and Paroles shall have no power to grant a pardon, order a parole, remit a fine or forfeiture, or restore civil and political rights until 30 days' notice that the prisoner is being considered therefor has been given by the board to the Attorney General, the judge who presided over the case, the district attorney who tried the subject's case, the chief of police in the municipality in which the crime occurred, if the crime was committed in an incorporated area with a police department, and to the sheriff of the county where convicted, and to the same officials of the county where the crime occurred if different from the county of conviction; provided, however, that if they are dead or not serving, the notice shall be given to the district attorney, incumbent sheriff, and one of the judges of the circuit in which the subject was convicted. The board also shall be required to provide the same notice to the Crime Victims Compensation Commission.

(e)(1) Until and unless at least 30 days' written notice of the board's action to be considered has been given by the board to the victim named in the indictment, the victim's representative, or any other interested individual, after the board has received a request that includes the preferred mode of notification from the victim, the victim's representative, or other interested individual and is submitted 30 days or more in advance of the board action to be considered either through the automated victim notification system or by a direct request to the board or other authorized individual, the Board of Pardons and Paroles shall have no power or authority to in any way approve or order any parole, pardon, remission of fine or forfeiture, restoration of civil and political rights, furlough, leave or early release of a person convicted of the following offenses:

a. A Class A felony.

b. Any felony committed prior to the first day of January, 1980, which if committed after the first day of January, 1980, would be designated a Class A felony.

c. Any felony involving violence, death, or any physical injury to the person of another.

d. Any felony involving unlawful sexual assault or other unlawful sexual conduct on the person of another.

e. Any felony involving sexual assault, or a lewd or lascivious act upon a child under the age of 16 years or attempt thereof.

f. Sexual abuse or any other criminal conduct committed prior to the first day of January, 1980, which if committed after the first day of January, 1980, would be defined as sexual abuse under the Alabama Criminal Code.

g. Child abuse or any criminal conduct committed prior to the first day of January, 1980, which if committed after the first day of January, 1980, would be defined as child abuse under the Alabama Criminal Code.

h. Sodomy or any criminal conduct committed prior to the first day of January, 1980, which if committed after the first day of January, 1980, would be defined as sodomy under the Alabama Criminal Code.

i. Any violation of Section 13A-6-69, as amended.

(2) If, however, the victim, victim's representative, or other interested individual has not been registered for notice through the automated victim notification system or otherwise made a direct request to the board for notice or to another authorized individual, the victim's information has not been updated, or a particular mode of notification has not been requested at least 30 days or more in advance of the board's action to be considered, the board shall not be limited in power or authority in any way to approve or order any parole, pardon, remission of fine or forfeiture, restoration of civil and political rights, furlough, leave, or early release of a person convicted of the offenses named in subsection (e)(1)a. to i., inclusive.

(3) The notice shall be given by U.S. certified mail, return receipt requested, U.S. mail, electronic transmission, or by other commonly accepted method of delivery, upon a request made through the automated victim notification system or otherwise upon direct request made to the board or other authorized individual 30 days or more in advance of the board's action to be considered and shall include:

a. The name of the prisoner or defendant involved.

b. The crime for which the prisoner or defendant was convicted.

c. The date of the sentence.

d. The court in which the conviction occurred.

e. The sentence imposed.

f. The actual time the prisoner has been held in confinement and the prisoner's minimum release date, as computed by the Department of Corrections.

g. The action to be considered by the board.

h. The date, time, and location of the board meeting at which the action is to be considered.

i. The right of the victim named in the indictment, a victim's representative, or if the victim is deceased as a result of the offense, the victim's immediate family, as defined by the board's operating rules, or, in the event there is no immediate family, a relative of a victim, if any, to present his or her views to the board in person or in writing.

Notice for robbery victims who were robbed while on duty as an employee of a business establishment shall be sufficient if mailed to the last address provided by the victim or as otherwise noted on the indictment or in the board files.

(4) If a victim, victim's representative, or otherwise interested individual requests not to be notified, the request shall be made to the Board of Pardons and Paroles in writing or by electronic signature. Confirmation of a request to not be notified shall be provided to the victim so requesting. After a request is received, the board shall provide no further notifications, unless and until the victim, victim's representative, or otherwise interested individual subsequently requests future notifications, at least 30 days in advance of the board's action to be considered through the automated victim notification system designated by the board or by contacting the board or other authorized individual in writing, in person, or by telephone.

(5) Should a victim, victim's representative, or otherwise interested person wish to receive notice of any specific board hearing and action taken by the board, if any, in a specific case, the individual may register to request the notice through the automated victim notification system or otherwise request notice by making a direct request to the board or other authorized individual to receive notice at least 30 days in advance of the board's action to be considered. The individual shall be required to designate his or her preferred mode or modes of communication.

(6) Prior to the sentencing of any defendant convicted of the offenses named in subsection (e)(1)a. to i., inclusive, and only after the most recent victim information has been furnished to the Board of Pardons and Paroles pursuant to Section 12-17-184(9), in those cases, the probation and parole officer assigned to prepare a pre-sentence investigation report shall register the most recent information for the victim named in the indictment into the automated victim notification system designated by the board. In case of a homicide, the information of immediate family members shall be entered into the automated victim notification system designated by the board. If a surviving victim is a minor, information for parents or guardians shall be entered into the automated victim notification system designated by the board. The probation and parole officer assigned to prepare a pre-sentence investigation report shall then report to the sentencing court that all most current victim information has been so registered. The sentencing court shall then record into the case record that the victim information has been entered into the automated victim notification system.

(7) For those cases in which a defendant has been convicted and sentenced prior to the implementation task force determining that the automated victim notification system complies with the requirements of this section and Sections 15-22-23 and 15-22-36.2, for any homicide, and Class A felony, except Burglary I in which no victim was present, or any criminal sex offense, as defined by Section 15-20-21(4), the board shall exercise due diligence to locate the victim or victims and register the most recent victim information into the automated victim notification system designated by the board. If all attempts to locate a victim, or in case of a homicide to locate immediate family member or members, have failed and the agent of the board has certified that due diligence has been exercised, no future location attempts shall be required.

(f) After any board action is taken granting any pardon or parole, the board shall promptly notify all persons who timely requested notice, pursuant to this section as to the action taken by the board and the conditions, if any, of any such parole or pardon via electronic notification through the automated victim notification system or posting publicly on a state agency website.

(Acts 1939, No. 275, p. 426; Code 1940, T. 42, §16; Acts 1951, No. 599, p. 1030; Acts 1983, No. 83-750, p. 1249, §2; Act 2004-565, p. 1326, §1; Act 2011-681, p. 2006, §1; Act 2012-363, p. 904, §1(b)(3).)