The ACLU of Alabama on Wednesday praised Alabama lawmakers for approving “much-needed legislation to improve the pardons and parole process” during the 2026 Legislative Session, but advocates caution that lawmakers stopped short of implementing the reforms needed to significantly address the state prison system’s flaws.
The ACLU of Alabama applauded the passage of these bills while warning that lawmakers “did little to address the systemic failures driving overcrowding and violence in Alabama’s prisons.” Among the legislation lawmakers approved were House Bill 86, Senate Bill 240 and Senate Bill 254.
“These legislative wins did not happen in isolation; they are the direct result of sustained advocacy,” said Nichelle Cunningham, an ACLU of Alabama paralegal. “We are grateful to the lawmakers, partners, and the citizens of Alabama who have remained committed to parole reform through our Smart Justice programs, lobby days, and continued public pressure. This is what integrated, collective action looks like.”
HB86 revises what the Board of Pardons and Paroles must consider when evaluating an incarcerated person for parole, including whether the inmate worked or pursued education while inside. The bill also requires the Board to follow structured, regularly reviewed guidelines and to clearly state its reasons for granting or denying parole to the incarcerated person and others upon request.
SB240 allows incarcerated individuals to participate in and speak on their own behalf during their parole hearing via telephone, video conference or any other similar communications system.
Meanwhile, SB254 establishes new rules for how the state handles parolees who violate the terms of their release, giving the Board more discretion to impose lesser sanctions rather than automatically revoking parole for minor violations.
Last year, the ACLU of Alabama and the ACLU spent thousands of hours researching and documenting the deaths of incarcerated people in Alabama Department of Corrections custody during the 2024 calendar year. They found 277 people died in 2024, and in more than one in three of those cases, ADOC listed the cause of death as “unknown” or “under investigation.” The ACLU of Alabama has called on state lawmakers to require the ADOC to make several changes to improve the accuracy of death reporting and help create a more transparent and accountable corrections system in Alabama.
“Alabama’s prison crisis is felt not only by the person in prison but also by their families and friends, waiting with little information and fading hope for the day their loved one will return to them,” said A’Niya Robinson, the ACLU of Alabama’s policy and organizing director. “It is past time that lawmakers consider real, meaningful reform of our prison system so that more people can lead productive lives in their community instead of growing older and sicker inside Alabama’s dangerously unconstitutional prisons.”
Lawmakers will have another opportunity to publicly question ADOC officials about their practices and efforts to address overcrowding, violence, and transparency failures inside Alabama’s prisons during the Joint Prison Oversight Committee’s quarterly meeting on April 22 at the Alabama State House. The Joint Prison Oversight Committee meeting is open to the public, and all are encouraged by the ACLU of Alabama to attend in person or view the proceedings online.
