Section 15-22-36.2 Victim Notification Implementation Task Force.
This provision creates a victim notification task force, then converts it to an oversight council after majority approval, and assigns duties for system oversight, meetings, and funding.
(a) There is hereby created the Victim Notification Implementation Task Force to guide and support the implementation of a statewide automated victim notification system in Alabama. The task force shall be composed of four crime victims’ rights advocates designated by the Attorney General and one designee from each of the following: The Board of Pardons and Paroles, the Department of Corrections, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Commission, the District Attorneys Association or a district attorney representative, the Attorney General, the Administrative Office of Courts, the Alabama Circuit Judges’ Association, the Office of Prosecution Services, the Alabama Circuit Clerk’s Association, and any other entity or organization as deemed appropriate by a majority vote of the current representatives composing the task force. The task force shall elect a chair to function as the administrative head. The task force shall meet initially by March 1, 2012, at the call of the Attorney General. The task force shall meet not less than quarterly after January 1, 2012, and otherwise at the call of the chair or a majority vote of the current task force representatives. Pursuant to this section and Section 14-14-5, Section 15-22-23, Section 15-22-36, Section 15-22-36.3, and Section 15-22-26.2, the task force shall be responsible for overseeing the development of the automated victim notification system by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and integration of a process to automatically update victim information into the automated victim notification system on a continual basis. The task force shall also oversee a statewide public education and awareness campaign for the implementation of the automated victim notification system and shall be charged with confirming, by majority vote, that the automated victim notification system complies with the requirements of this section and Section 14-14-5, Section 15-22-23, Section 15-22-36, Section 15-22-36.3, and Section 15-22-26.2. Approval from the task force shall not be required for the validity of any action taken by any entity represented on the task force in the exercise of any of the power or authority granted to it by the Legislature. (b) Immediately upon approval from the task force by majority vote that the automated notification system complies with the requirements of this section and Section 14-14-5, Section 15-22-23, Section 15-22-36, Section 15-22-36.3, and Section 15-22-26.2, the task force shall automatically convert to the Victim Notification Oversight Council for the purpose of continuing to provide direction to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency on development, support, expansion, and maintenance of the automated notification system. The council shall consist of those task force representatives serving on the task force, including appointees, at the time of conversion. Upon conversion, representatives from partner agencies may be added by majority vote of the council. The appointees designated by the Attorney General shall serve four year terms to ensure that a variety of victim advocates are included in the oversight of the system. The Attorney General shall designate a replacement as required at the expiration of the term of a victim advocate. No victim advocate may be appointed for more than two consecutive terms. (c) The Board of Pardons and Paroles shall have authority to carry out the enforcement of Sections 15-22-23 and 15-22-36, and the Department of Corrections shall have authority to carry out the enforcement of Section 14-14-5, Section 15-22-36.3, and Section 15-22-26.2. (d) The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency shall be required to develop, support, house, and maintain the automated notification system referenced in this section and Section 14-14-5, Section 15-22-23, Section 15-22-36, Section 15-22-36.3, and Section 15-22-26.2 for the use of the Board of Pardons and Paroles and the Department of Corrections to make automated notices as required. The system shall additionally be used to make notices of an offender’s change in status or custody, or notices regarding criminal justice proceedings deemed to be in the best interest of Alabama crime victims and public safety, by a majority vote of the task force or, after its conversion, the Victim Notification Oversight Council. The automatic notification system created by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency shall be the automated notification system used by the state in making notifications to the Alabama crime victims. (e) There is hereby created a Victim Notification System Fund in the State Treasury. The fund shall consist of all monies appropriated for the development, expansion, support, and maintenance of the automated victim notification system by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Any monies in the fund may be expended solely for the use of the victim notification system. The Secretary of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency may expend monies in the Victim Notification System Fund solely at the request and direction of the Victim Notification Implementation Task Force or, after its conversion, the Victim Notification Oversight Council, created by this section.