(a) A county or group of counties may establish a community punishment and corrections program for state and county inmates or youthful offenders in custody of the county. The program shall be established by a county by resolution adopted by the county commission or by community punishment and corrections authorities or other nonprofit entities as provided herein. The program shall establish the maximum number of offenders who may participate in the program and participation shall be limited to space availability. No offenders may be sentenced or assigned to the program in excess of the maximum number established for the program. No county is obligated to fund any activities of a community corrections program established under this article without an affirmative vote of the affected county commission.

(b) The department may contract with such counties, authorities, or other nonprofit entities as provided herein concerning start-up costs and the costs of maintenance, including medical expenses, of state inmates participating in any program authorized under this article or under any county program functioning pursuant to any state or local act.

(c) The department shall promulgate rules and regulations pursuant to the Alabama Administrative Procedure Act establishing conditions for state inmates' participation in the community punishment and corrections program, the observance of which may be a condition to such participation.

(d) A state inmate incarcerated in a state facility may be approved by the department for participation in a community punishment and corrections program established under this article and be assigned to a program in the county from which the inmate was sentenced if a community punishment and corrections program under this article has been established in that county and if the sentencing judge of the county authorizes the inmate to participate in the program. An inmate may be assigned to a community punishment and corrections program in another county if the presiding judge of the other county and the sentencing judge agree to the assignment and if the county has agreed in the contract to accept inmates originally sentenced in other counties. In the event the sentencing judge is unavailable due to death, retirement, or any other reason, the presiding judge from the sentencing circuit shall act in the sentencing judge's stead. An inmate assigned to a community punishment and corrections program pursuant to this article shall not be eligible for parole consideration.

(e) The department shall annually identify alternatives to community punishment and corrections programs for those counties which have not established a community punishment and corrections program under this article. The department shall publish a list of such alternatives on its website and shall provide a list of such alternatives to each district and circuit court annually. The department shall include a list of referral services available for veterans and servicemen, and, when available and appropriate, shall include any Veterans Treatment Court in operation in the appropriate county or circuit as an alternative.