HB155 Alabama 2011 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Joe Hubbard

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2011

Title

Judicial system officer or employee, threatening harm or violence against, crime established, death penalty, Secs. 13A-5-40, 13A-5-49 am'd.

Summary

HB155 would make it a crime to threaten or harm a judicial system officer or their immediate family, allow the death penalty for murder of such officers under certain conditions, and treat threats as an aggravating factor in capital offenses, with a note about local funding exceptions.

What This Bill Does

It creates a specific crime of threatening a judicial system officer or employee or an immediate family member, with penalties starting as a Class C felony and rising to Class B if the threat involves physical contact or a weapon. It allows the death penalty for murder connected to these threats under certain circumstances and adds threatening behavior as an aggravating factor in capital cases. It also amends existing murder and aggravating-circumstance laws to include murders of judicial officers or employees related to their official duties, and notes how local funding rules interact with the bill.

Who It Affects

• Judicial system officers or employees and their immediate family members, who would be protected by a new crime and potentially affected as victims or targets of threats.
• People who threaten or commit harm against judicial system officers or employees, who would face new penalties including possible death-penalty-related consequences for related murders.
• Local governments and taxpayers, due to the bill's impact on local funding requirements and the related constitutional considerations.

Key Provisions

• Defines 'immediate family member' and 'judicial system officer or employee' to cover a broad set of relatives and officials.
• Creates the crime of threatening a judicial system officer or employee or their immediate family; threats are Class C felonies, with Class B felony penalties if the threat involves physical contact or a deadly weapon.
• Allows the death penalty for murder connected to this context under specific conditions and adds the threat as an aggravating circumstance for capital offenses.
• Amends 13A-5-40 and 13A-5-49 to include murder of judicial system officers or employees (and related circumstances) as capital offenses and to add related aggravating circumstances.
• Acknowledges that the bill could require new or increased local expenditures, but notes there are exceptions that allow it to become effective without a local-entity vote or approval.
• Effective date is the first day of the third month after passage and gubernatorial approval.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Crimes and Offenses