HB 86 revises Alabama's parole guidelines to require the Board of Pardons and Paroles to give special attention to three specific factors when considering parole: an inmate's low risk of reoffending (based on a validated assessment), their employment during incarceration, and education completed while in prison. The bill also mandates that the board consider other factors in its guidelines and provide written reasons for all parole decisions. This change directly affects inmates seeking parole and the board's decision-making process, though the board retains full discretion to approve or deny parole. The revised guidelines must be reviewed every three years and posted online for public access.
HB 10 would amend Alabama law to remove specific minor offenses from the definition of "delinquent act" for 14- and 15-year-olds. Under this bill, nonfelony traffic violations (like speeding) or water safety offenses (like boating without a life jacket) committed by youth in this age group would no longer trigger juvenile court proceedings, except for offenses related to driving under the influence. This change directly affects 14- and 15-year-old Alabama residents who commit these minor violations, preventing their cases from entering the juvenile justice system. The bill targets a specific provision in Section 12-15-102 of Alabama Code, narrowing which acts qualify as delinquent for this age group.
HB 9 prevents individuals convicted of elder abuse or financial exploitation from benefiting from the victim's estate or contracts. Specifically, if convicted, the abuser cannot inherit through a will, receive property from joint accounts, or claim life insurance or other beneficiary benefits tied to the victim. The bill amends Alabama law to apply these restrictions automatically upon conviction for elder abuse/neglect (first/second degree) or financial exploitation of elderly persons. It ensures assets pass as if the abuser predeceased the victim, directly protecting vulnerable seniors from financial exploitation by caregivers or family members.
SB 24 requires Alabama's Pardons and Paroles Board to post clear instructions and an online application form on its website by September 2026, enabling individuals who lost voting rights due to criminal convictions to request restoration. The board must also publicly list names of people whose rights are restored and notify the Secretary of State with their details. The Secretary of State then informs county election registrars, who must add eligible individuals to voter rolls and notify them of their restored voting eligibility. This bill directly affects formerly incarcerated people seeking to regain voting rights under Alabama law, streamlining the process through mandated digital accessibility and interagency coordination.
HB 51 amends Alabama law to specifically protect current and former public officials from assault and harassment. It elevates assaults causing physical injury to public officials to second-degree assault (a Class C felony) instead of third-degree, and upgrades harassment or harassing communications targeting public officials to a Class B misdemeanor. The bill directly affects individuals who commit physical assault or threatening communications against public officials while they are performing their duties. These changes apply to all public officials as defined in Alabama law, including elected and appointed positions. The bill also includes minor technical updates to align the legal language with current style.
HB 60 requires Alabama courts to delay both criminal and civil cases when a party, their lead attorney, or a key witness is on active military duty. In criminal cases, the court must set bail for the defendant if the state gets a continuance for military absence, except for violent offenses (with court discretion) or capital crimes. The bill also mandates that Alabama’s Supreme Court update its rules to match these requirements. The law takes effect on October 1, 2026.
HB 53 proposes a constitutional amendment to Alabama's 2022 Constitution, allowing the legislature to revive time-barred legal claims related to child sexual abuse. It directly affects victims of childhood sexual abuse whose cases may have been dismissed due to expired statutes of limitations. The amendment would modify Section 95 to add an exception permitting the legislature to restore such claims through general law. This change would enable victims to pursue legal remedies for abuse that occurred years ago, even if the original time limit had passed. The proposal requires voter approval via a statewide election after legislative passage.
HB 54, the Alabama Women's Childbirth Alternatives, Resources, and Education (CARE) Act, allows pregnant women sentenced to jail to serve probation before incarceration instead of being jailed immediately. It requires jails to offer pregnancy testing within three days of intake, releases pregnant women on probation (with electronic supervision and no fines) if they pose no threat, and mandates they serve probation through 12 weeks after birth. The bill requires women to self-surrender to jail 12 weeks after giving birth, with failure to do so classified as a Class A misdemeanor. This directly affects pregnant women in Alabama facing incarceration sentences, changing their path to jail from immediate admission to supervised probation during pregnancy and postpartum.
HB 58 requires Alabama courts to delay (continue) criminal and civil cases when a party, their lead attorney, or a key witness is on active military duty. It mandates that in criminal cases, bail must be set for defendants when the state secures such a delay, except for violent offenses or capital charges. The bill also requires courts to delay cases if a military witness is unavailable, provided they're material, outside the state, and a request was made per federal law (5 U.S.C. § 301). Civil cases follow similar delay rules but do not require bail setting. The Alabama Supreme Court must update its rules to align with these changes, effective October 1, 2026.
HB 29 amends Alabama's manslaughter law to include cases where sexual extortion of a minor under 18 directly causes the victim's death. The bill specifically adds that if a person commits sexual extortion (as defined in Section 13A-6-241) against a minor and the victim dies, the perpetrator can be charged with manslaughter if the court finds the sexual extortion was the proximate cause of death. It clarifies that a victim's suicide following sexual extortion is deemed a foreseeable consequence, not an independent cause. This change elevates such cases to a Class A felony (the highest penalty for manslaughter), directly affecting minors subjected to sexual extortion and those who commit such acts. The law would take effect October 1, 2026.
