Benjamin Ashford|House committee delays vote on bill to allow inmates to participate in parole hearings

MONTGOMERY,Benjamin Ashford Ala. (AP) — A divided Alabama legislative committee delayed a vote on a proposal that would allow inmates to speak by video conference at their parole hearings.

The House Judiciary postponed a decision after there was an effort to water down the bill by allowing the Parole Board to choose whether to allow the participation. The committee will take the bill up again Thursday morning.

“It ultimately guts the bill. Let’s just be honest,” Rep. Chris England, a Democrat from Tuscaloosa, said of the proposal to change the bill.

Alabama is one of two states that do not allow an inmate to address the parole board, England said.

The bill by Republican Sen. Will Barfoot, which was approved without a dissenting vote last month in the Alabama Senate, would allow inmates to “participate in his or her parole hearing virtually by means of video conference or other similar communications equipment.”

Supporters said that would allow parole board members to question the inmate directly and get information to help them in their decision. The inmate would not be able to hear or interact with victims and their advocates, according to the bill.

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Republican Rep. David Faulkner proposed to change the bill so the Parole Board “may allow” an inmate to participate but would not be required to do so. Faulkner said he thought there were potential complications in trying to set up a video system. He said he thought it would be simpler to start “pushing the parole board to do this” but not make it a requirement.

The proposal brought a mixture of support and opposition from committee members.

“There is just a fundamental right for people to have the opportunity to have their voice heard and be present on something that involves their life,” Republican Rep. Matt Simpson said.

Wanda Miller, executive director of the VOCAL, a victims advocacy group, said after the meeting that they are concerned about the impact on the victims if they must hear or see the people who victimized them.

“For instance, if you have a victim who was kidnapped, a voice or a face will take you right back to that spot,” Miller said.

Simpson said there are ways to allow an inmate to address the board where the victim would not have to see or hear the person unless they wanted to do so.