Pending a signature from Gov. Kay Ivey, it became a lot tougher for dangerous inmates to be let out on “good time” as a new look at the law drove both chambers of the Legislature to crack down today.
During a lengthy deliberation on the floor of the house Tuesday, Rep. Russell Bedsole led colleauges to passing the Deputy Brad Johnson Act, saying the bill will provide stricter enforcement of law that dates back to the 1980s.
The bill passed 79-24, with numerous Democratic lawmakers speaking against it.
Bedsole held up a picture of Deputy Johnson during his initial remarks.
“Many of you may know, June of last year, Deputy Johnson serving his community in Bibb County was tragically killed in the line of duty,” he said. “I think it’s important to put a name with a face … This was a father to two young children.
“This was a killer who had been in our Department of Corrections system, afforded the luxury of what we call ‘good time’ or correctional incentive time along the way.”
Before the law, which was carried in the Senate by Sen. April Weaver (R-Bibb County), inmates were permitted to have up to 75 days removed from their prison sentence for every 30 days served.
Weaver, a friend of Johnson, said it wasn’t right that an inmate sentenced to serve 15 years in prison for a violent crime could be released in little more than four years.
“Had Hall served his full prison sentence, as his behavior should have required, Deputy Johnson would still be alive today,” Weaver said. “We’re hoping when this passes no community ever has to go through what our community and our county has had to go through.”
House Democrats said the bill doesn’t address their view of the corrections system in Alabama.
“If we’re really interested in public safety, we need to do more than this for these folks,” said Rep. Chris England (D-Tuscaloosa).
“There are other components like, the speaker and others have done a tremendous job on the funding with mental health,” House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels (D-Huntsville) said. “But I think there are still loopholes in the system that we’re working within.”
Attorney General Steve Marshall sat with Bibb County Deputy Chris Poole in the House gallery. Poole, who was shot alongside Johnson, expressed gratitude for lawmakers attempting to prevent his experience happening to a fellow law enforcement officer in the future.
“What happened to me and Deputy Johnson was a horrifying experience, but we’re going to get through it and we’re going to save the lives of many others through seeing this legislation passed,” Poole said.
Grayson Everett is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @Grayson270 for coverage of the 2023 legislative session.
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