Montgomery, AL – The state finance director says 3,000 non-violent Alabama prison inmates will have to be released if the Legislature adopts the General Fund budget proposed by Gov. Robert Bentley.
Finance Director David Perry told a joint meeting of the House and Senate judiciary committees that the cuts required in the governor's budget will force a reduction in the number of prison inmates.
Perry made the dire pronouncement Wednesday as members of the two judiciary committees were discussing a package of bills supported by Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb that are aimed at reforming Alabama's sentencing procedures and reducing the number of prison inmates.
Perry told committee members that releasing prisoners because of sentencing reform would be ``more responsible'' than letting them go because of budget cuts.
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