SB 50 prohibits law enforcement officers in Alabama from using tasers on individuals who are restrained, such as those in handcuffs or other restraints. It directly affects officers by banning taser use when a person cannot resist, including during arrest or custody. The bill defines "restrained" to cover individuals secured with handcuffs, body cuffs, or similar devices, and explicitly overrides existing law (Section 13A-3-27) regarding taser use. This policy change would take effect on October 1, 2026, if enacted.
SB 84 requires the Alabama Department of Public Health to establish and enforce sanitation standards for food services in state correctional facilities, county jails, and municipal jails. The bill mandates regular inspections of food preparation, storage, and serving areas, and obligates facilities to correct identified violations. It grants the Department authority to issue sanitation scores and prescribe corrective actions but prohibits suspending food services without approval from the facility's governing body (e.g., the Corrections Commissioner for state facilities or local government for county/municipal jails). The law takes effect on October 1, 2026.
SB 120 requires all Alabama state, county, and municipal law enforcement agencies to adopt written policies for vehicular pursuits by October 2026. It restricts pursuits to suspects accused of specific serious violent crimes, including murder, kidnapping, human trafficking, rape, and offenses creating immediate threats of death or serious injury. The law mandates that policies address cross-jurisdictional pursuits (e.g., into neighboring states) and requires agencies to meet probable cause standards before authorizing a chase. Agencies failing to adopt compliant policies risk losing state or federally administered funding.
SB 49 prohibits law enforcement officers in Alabama from using tasers on individuals who are restrained (such as those in handcuffs or body restraints). It directly affects all police officers and law enforcement personnel covered by Alabama's definition of "law enforcement officer." The bill makes violations a Class C felony, imposing criminal penalties for using tasers on anyone unable to resist. If enacted, the law would take effect on October 1, 2026.
SB 157 (Alabama) changes how law enforcement body-worn and dashboard camera footage is handled. Currently, such recordings can only be shared with people pictured or their personal representatives. This bill makes that footage a public record, meaning anyone can request it for inspection, subject to limited exceptions like ongoing investigations. Law enforcement agencies must respond to requests within 30 days or explain denials, and individuals denied access can appeal to a court. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.
This bill creates a legal presumption that deadly force used in self-defense or defense of others is justified under specific circumstances, such as preventing burglary, kidnapping, or violent assaults like robbery or forcible rape. It establishes exceptions where this presumption does not apply, including when the defender is engaged in unlawful activity, the victim is a law enforcement officer acting in duty, or the defender is removing a child under lawful custody. The bill also requires pretrial hearings to determine if self-defense immunity applies before trial, with the defendant needing to prove justification by a preponderance of evidence. It directly affects individuals in Alabama facing criminal charges for using force in self-defense or defense of others.
HB 91 would change how funds from court fees are used by Alabama sheriff's offices. Currently, money allocated to the sheriff's office from these fees can only cover jail operations. This bill expands that use to include all sheriff's office functions, such as patrols or investigations, for law enforcement purposes. The change would take effect on October 1, 2026, and directly affects all Alabama sheriffs' offices receiving these court fee funds.
HB 70 allows certain defendants convicted of capital murder before June 1, 2026, to seek resentencing if a jury previously recommended life without parole but a judge overruled that recommendation to impose a death sentence. The bill requires courts to resentence eligible defendants under current law (which follows jury recommendations) if they meet specific criteria: the sentence was imposed under pre-April 2017 law, the jury advised life without parole, and the judge overruled that advice. Petitions for resentencing must be filed with the original sentencing court and are free of filing fees. The bill repeals an existing resentencing provision and takes effect October 1, 2026. It directly affects capital murder defendants whose sentences were altered via judicial override before the specified date.
HB 76 proposes amending Alabama's constitution to permanently ban the death penalty for all future crimes. If approved by voters in the 2028 primary election, it would require the legislature to pass laws prohibiting the death penalty and void any existing laws allowing it as a punishment. This change would end the death penalty as a sentencing option for murder or other crimes in Alabama, affecting only future cases (not current death row inmates). The bill is currently pending in the House Judiciary Committee after being filed in December 2025.
SB 30, known as "Trey's Law," makes any agreement clause prohibiting disclosure of sexual abuse acts or related facts unenforceable. It directly affects survivors of sexual abuse and entities (like employers or organizations) that use nondisclosure agreements to silence victims. The bill voids such clauses in agreements entered into on or after October 1, 2026, but only for the sexual abuse disclosure terms - other parts of agreements, like compensation, remain enforceable. This policy change ensures survivors can speak freely about abuse without legal penalty, aligning with Alabama's public policy against shielding perpetrators.
