Montgomery, AL – A bill that would stop Alabama sheriffs from keeping unspent money that was allocated for feeding prisoners has cleared the first hurdle in the Alabama Legislature.
The House Committee on Municipal and County Government on Wednesday approved by voice vote a bill that would throw out a 1920s era law that allowed sheriffs to keep profits from the jail kitchen.
The sponsor of the bill, Rep. Allen Treadaway of Morris, said the bill would no longer allow sheriff's to keep excess kitchen funds. But he said it would also prevent sheriffs from having to pay out of their own pockets if the kitchen operation loses money.
The bill now goes to the full House for debate.
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