This session, the Alabama Legislature has passed multiple bills that show our leaders’ commitment to Christian values.
As the session draws to a close, one more significant opportunity to follow the teachings of the Bible in how our system treats “the least of these” remains: passage of SB 156, the Second Chance Bill.
Part of Gov. Kay Ivey’s legislative package, SB 156 is a cautious, conservative, bipartisan bill that will begin to address the moral and fiscal failures caused by thousands of senior Alabamians warehoused in our prison system. Throughout the Holy Scriptures, God calls us to do exactly what this bill does.
The Second Chance Bill accomplishes all three of what the prophet Micah describes as good requirements of God: do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly. (Micah 6:8). The bill is grounded in justice; it requires that all cases be reviewed by a judge before any resentencing occurs and that victims involved in the case be notified and allowed to speak at a hearing.
The bill is humble in scope; approximately 150-180 people are expected to be eligible under the bill’s criteria, and no one with an offense involving physical injury anywhere on their record is eligible for review.
Importantly, no one will even be automatically released; instead the bill simply allows a small group of people to request review and with input from the District Attorney and victim, the judge can decide if a life without parole sentence is still necessary. Finally, the Second Chance Bill offers mercy, as all of the people eligible for resentencing have already served over 25 years of their lives in extremely challenging prison conditions.
The Second Chance Bill is an opportunity to put Christian belief into action. In the Lord’s prayer, Jesus instructs Christians to pray that God’s will “be done on earth, as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:9-10).
Part of doing His will is to “be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” (Luke 6:36), and to “forgive those who trespass against us” (Matt. 6:12). Showing mercy is a mandate for Christians, as James writes: “judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.
Mercy triumphs over judgment.” (James 2:13). Passing the Second Chance bill will give “glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (See Matt. 5:16). By extending mercy to people otherwise condemned to continual harm and ultimately, death behind bars, we show that “the Lord is full of compassion and mercy” (James 5:11).
Several years ago, I was privileged to meet a prisoner who will likely die behind bars unless this bill passes. His story fuels my support for SB 156. In his early 20s, John Manley was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for burglary in 1986.
Not only did he never physically harm any victim; he never even saw a victim. John’s father was a WWII combat veteran who has passed away, but his 90-year-old mother is holding out hope that the Legislature will remedy the injustice present in our system and decide that almost 40 years is enough for burglary. SB 156 is currently the only avenue for that to happen.
Finally, the Second Chance bill enables us to be an “instrument of peace” as described in the Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi: “where there is despair” the bill offers “hope”; “where there is darkness, light”; “where there is sadness, joy”; and “where there is injury, pardon.”
Passing the Second Chance Bill is a major step toward rehabilitation and redemption. The Alabama House should pass SB 156 and continue to send the message that mercy and forgiveness have not been abandoned by Alabama’s faithful. After all, as St. Francis prayed: “it is in pardoning, that we are pardoned.”
Former Congressman Spencer Bachus represented Alabama’s Sixth Congressional District from 1993 to 2015. He also served as Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party. He’s currently in his second term on the Board of Directors at the Export-Import Bank.
