By Alabama Public Radio
Montgomery, AL – The Alabama House is expected to consider 10 bills Tuesday that were recommended by a commission that's studying the way state courts sentence offenders. The Alabama Sentencing Commission was created by the Legislature in 2000 because of concerns that sentences for the same crime often varied from court to court. The commission is supposed to give its final reprot to the Legislature in 2006. One of the bills to be considered by the House Tuesday would extend that deadline until 2008. Another bill would allow courts to consider convictions in other states when sentencing those convicted of driving under the influence. There's also a bill to allow judges and other court personnel to obtain juvenile and youthful offender records when deciding what sentence to give a person.