HB378 Alabama 2011 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Blaine Galliher

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2011

Title

Sex offenders, notification and registration, comprehensive procedure for registration by adult and juvenile sex offenders, notification by law enforcement, employment and residency limited, registration fees authorized, Sex Offender Registration and Community Notification Act, Secs. 13A-11-200, 13A-11-201, 13A-11-202, 15-20-1 to 15-20-38, inclusive, repealed

Summary

HB378 creates a comprehensive Alabama Sex Offender Registration and Community Notification Act that expands registration requirements, public notification, and residency/employment restrictions for adults and juveniles convicted of sex offenses.

What This Bill Does

It repeals the old sex offender laws and replaces them with a new system requiring adults and juveniles convicted of sex offenses to register and report extensive information, including residences, schools, employers, vehicles, and full criminal history. Adults face lifetime registration and quarterly verification, with homeless offenders required to report weekly until they have a fixed address, and there are travel and residency restrictions. The act also creates a public online registry and community notification practices, allows for electronic monitoring of sexually violent predators, and imposes fines and fees to fund enforcement; it provides for risk assessments, treatment, and court hearings to determine level of notification for juveniles.

Who It Affects

• Adults and juvenile sex offenders (including homeless offenders) who must register, report, undergo risk assessment, and comply with residency, employment, and travel restrictions.
• Public audiences, including victims, schools, childcare facilities, and local law enforcement, who receive community notifications, access the public registry, and rely on enforcement and safety measures.

Key Provisions

• Establishes the Alabama Sex Offender Registration and Community Notification Act and repeals prior registration sections, creating a unified system for registration and public notification.
• Imposes lifetime registration and quarterly verification for adult sex offenders; requires registration of residences, schools, employers, vehicles, contact information, DNA, and full criminal history; homeless offenders register weekly until fixed address.
• Sets residency and employment restrictions (e.g., 2,000 feet from schools/childcare facilities; 500 feet from certain minors’ spaces) with judicial discretion to modify in limited cases; defines measurement methods for distances.
• Creates a public online registry with searchable fields and clear rules on data included or excluded; requires notifications to victims and dissemination of information to relevant agencies.
• Administers risk assessments and treatment for juveniles, with hearings to determine notification level; provides for life or limited-term registration for juvenile and youthful offender categories and allows for relief mechanisms after specified periods.
• Establishes electronic monitoring for sexually violent predators and certain child-offense cases, with costs paid by the offender or supervising entity and penalties for tampering or noncompliance.
• Imposes fines for noncompliance (e.g., Class C felonies for failing to register or provide required information; $250 fines with specified distributions) and requires filing fees for relief petitions, along with allocations to state and local funds.

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

Subjects

Sex Offenders